THE HISTORY 



OF 

ail Religions, 

COMPREHENDING 
THE DIFFERENT DOCTRINES, 
CUSTOMS, AND ORDEU OF WORSHIP 
IN THE CHURCHES WHICH HAVE BEEN 
ESTABLISHED FROM THE BEGINNING OF 
TIME TO THE PRESENT DAY. THE ACCOM- 
PLISHMENT OF THE PROPHECIES OF THE 
PERSON OF CHRIST, INCONTROVER- 
TIBLY PROVING BY THE POSI- 
TIVE DECLARATIONS OF 
THE PROPHETS 
THAT HE IS 

THE TRUE MESSIAH, 

AND THAT THE JEWS 
HAVE NO AUTHORITY FROM SCRIP- 
TURE TO EXPECT THAT HE IS YET TO COME. 
THE ORIGIN AND CAUSE OF IDOLATROUS WORSHIP. 
REASONS ASSIGNED FOR THE DIFFERENT FORMS 
OF IDOLS : BEING A BRIEF COMPENDIUM 
OF THOSE KNOWLEDGES, NECESSARY 
TO BE KNi/WN BY ALL 
CHRISTIANS. 



BY JOHN BELLAMY, 
Author of Biblical Criticisms in the Classical Journal. 

ionium; 

SOLD BY LONGMAN AND CO. PA 1 ER\OSTER-ROW ; CA- 
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3 Wo 

1 




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1812. 



PREFACE. 



HISTORIES of the Different Pro- 
fessions of Religion have been written by 
eminent and learned men in all civilised 
nations ; therefore a publication of this 
nature may be deemed, by some, unne- 
cessary. A consideration of this sort 
would certainly have had its due weight 
with me, had I not found that, though 
in many instances the authors have sue- 



ceeded, yet in others, and those very 
important, they have been altogether 
defective. No writer has attempted to 
give us any information respecting those 
circumstances and things^ which took 
place at a more remote date than that 
of the ancient Egyptians; or concerning 
the Religions of the first nations after the 
flood; or the various states and descent 
of all the patriarchal churches from 
Adam to that period. 

It does not appear to me that any 
writer can be justified in presuming to 
call on the attention of the reader, unless 
he has something hitherto undiscovered 
to lay before him. I trust it will be 



V 



found by the learned and the intelligent 
reader, that I have not merited any 
imputation of this nature, for I should 
not feel myself excused in sending the 
following sheets to the press, if they did 
not contain a variety of information, 
which has not been made known by any 
writer, and which I consider a duty to 
lay before the public. I have avoided 
any appeal to opinion as conclusive, but 
have in these researches confirmed what 
is introduced from the Bible. Some may 
suppose that we ought not to carry 
our inquiries, respecting these things, 
beyond the time of the most remote Pa- 
gan antiquity. In such case we must 
stop at a later date than that of the an- 
cient Egyptians ; this would be shutting 



VI 



up the fountain of knowledge in the 
Egyptian labyrinth, where every thing 
respecting the first people, and their 
descendants to the flood, would be wrapt 
in impenetrable darkness. Here pro- 
phane history gives us no light; all is 
uncertainty and conjecture, therefore we 
are necessarily driven to the sacred pages 
of the Bible, which not only point out 
the origin of the most ancient nations, 
but lead us to the beginning of time, 
when the Almighty gave the first dispen- 
sation to man. 

We must, however, acknowledge our 
gratitude to those writers, who have la-, 
bored to give information respecting the 
idolatrous worship of the inhabitants of 



Vll 



Canaan and the surrounding nations, 
before the Hebrews came out of Egypt ; 
but had they attended to the meaning of 
those words, which so frequently occur, 
the Hebrew pronunciation of which is 
constantly retained in the English, and 
also in all the European Bibles, much 
information would at this day have been 
before the world. 

In translating the significative nomen- 
clature of the Hebrew, I trust I have 
shown that in their original institution, 
they were not contrary to divine order, 
but were used by the most ancient peo- 
ple as indices pointing to knowledge in 
every page of the book of nature. A 
knowledge given to the primaeval people, 



vm 



who gave names to creatures and things? 
expressive of their natures, a wonderful 
singularity found only in the Hebrew 
language. This knowledge was not ex- 
tinct in the time of the prophets, who 
were shown, that clean and unclean beasts 
of ^11 kinds, signified the good and evil 
affections of the Jews, I have also 
shown how these things, in their origin, 
innocently significative and instructive, 
were, in process of time, through the 
pride, ignorance, and sensuality of man, 
worshipped as idols. 

With regard to the professions of the 
Christian Religion, I have abandoned 
the customary method of copying. Who- 
ever will be at the trouble of reading 



ix 



different writers on this subject, will find 
that one writer of a particular persua- 
sion has with a mild kind of bigotry \ from 
an attachment to his own sect, elabor- 
ately recommended his own view. I 
have avoided every thing of this nature, 
being well assured from the sacred writ- 
ings, that true religion consists neither 
in doctrines, nor opinions, but in up- 
rightness of heart. 

In presuming to speak of the state in 
Paradise, I have not advanced any new 
theory, but have confirmed those views, 
consistently with what is said by the in- 
spired penman on that subject. It must 
be obvious that if any information can 
be obtained respecting this state, we 



must necessarily have it from the ancient 
part of the Bible. I have also from 
the same authority given proofs con- 
cerning the nature of the first dispen- 
sation, which God gave to man after the 
fall. For it has frequently occurred to 
me, when reading that part of the sacred 
writings where the first patriarchs are 
recorded, that the words signifying the 
names of the men, had also another 
meaning and application, according to 
the custom of the Hebrews ; and in this 
instance I have found them to be applied 
also to signify the state or quality of the 
church, as well as the name of the man, 
when each patriarch succeeded to the 
supreme government, until the church 
by successive states descended, and 



XI 



finally was extinct in the time of Noah, 
when God gave a new dispensation to 
him. 

This, I trust, will give much satisfaction 
to the Biblical reader, as it shows with 
what wisdom and effect these most 
ancient people were directed under that 
dispensation, to the existing state of 
spiritual things. This served as a perpe- 
tual monitor to remind them concerning 
their departure from the purity of the life 
and doctrines of the church as it was 
established by righteous Seth, and the 
danger into which they were plunging 
themselves by disobeying the divine com- 
mands. I have therefore followed the 
order of the sacred history from Adam to 



xu 



the end of the patriarchal churches, in- 
troducing those nations in the order of 
succession from the eldest sons, which 
appears to have been consistent with the 
view of the inspired writer. So that 
between the first order of patriarchs 
from Seth to Noah, the nations descend- 
ing from Japhet and Ham are introduced, 
before the second order of patriarchs 
from Noah to Abraham. 

It appeared proper to give some in- 
formation respecting the worship of those 
nations which descended from Japhet 
and Ham, which I have done by con- 
sulting the best authors ; in addition to 
which, I have endeavored to develope 
the peculiar nature of their worship, by 



XI 11 



translating the names of their idols ; and 
by so doing, it has led me to form a ra- 
tional conclusion concerning the appli- 
cation of these words to the things, to 
which they were evidently applied in 
their origin. 

In addition, I have been induced to 
write a small Treatise : the circumstance 
that induced me to write it was the fol- 
lowing. A gentleman called on me and 
informed me that a premium w as offered 
by the London Society for Promoting 
Christianity among the Jezvs, for the 
best refutation of David Levi's Dis- 

SERTATIOXS ON THE PROPHESIES, 

which are written in three large volumes, 
octavo. I had these books by me, and 



XIV 



was \vell aware of the absolute necessity 
of such an answer. None of our learned 
men, whose business it was, having at- 
tempted to meet this Goliah of the Jews, 
whose arguments appeared to many as 
conclusive against the Christian religion, 
I waited on a respectable gentleman of 
that society, and was informed by him 
that they wished to have a complete re- 
futation of the above-mentioned Disser- 
tations on the Prophecies, not only to put 
into the hands of the Jews in England, 
but of those of the different nations of 
Europe also. As this difficult task of 
literally refuting what has been advanced 
by this bold writer, seemed to rest here, 
I began to frame an answer in support 
of our religion against this formidable 



XV 



production, which is now received by 
the Jews as the pillar of Judaism; and 
I have concluded to make a separate 
treatise of it, and annex it to this work. 

Being convinced of the laudable and 
benevolent intentions of this respectable 
society, I have been particular in meet- 
ing the objections of this writer, which 
are properly not his, but collected from 
the writings of their modern Rabbies. 
I have, I hope, given a plain, clear, and 
conclusive refutation of those objections, 
by which the Christian church has so 
often been disturbed, and which have 
induced this Jewish writer exultingly to 
conclude each dissertation by saving : 
" Now as it is clear that none of those 



xvi 



things were accomplished at their return 
from Babylon, nor yet in the person of 
Jesus ; neither can they be explained 
according to the spiritualising scheme of 
the Christians : whence it is manifest 
that they remain to be fulfilled at the 
appearance of the true Messiah." Levi 
Dis. vol. 2. p. 229. 

I must not omit to say, that, for the sake 
of accuracy and precision, I have submitted 
the various Articles to the inspection and ap- 
proval of the leading persons of each Sect ; 
the statements, therefore, of their Doctrine, as 
well as the order of their Communion, have 
been sanctioned and confirmed. 



CONTENTS. 



A 

Abraham, covenant with 77 

Adamic church* • • • • 8 

Africans, ancient 15h 

. , modern « « 158 

Amalekites* •••• 32 

America, North • •• 152 

, South r . . . . ibid. 

Ammonites 31 

Anabaptists • 219 

Anthropomorphites • 184 

Antinomians • • • • • • • 228 

Antitrinitarians 228 

Arabians, ancient 328 

, modern • 329 

Arians 185 

Armenians, ancient *-*■• 235 

Arminians, modern . • • 236 

Atheists-..- 309 



CONTENTS. 



B 

Page 

Babylonians 40 

Baptists, general and particular 220 

Baxterians 275 

Brahmans 139 

C 

Cain, rejection of his offering » 9 

Calvinists ........ 229 

Canaanites .... 33 

Carpocratians 181 

Cerinthians 182 

Chinese, ancient 131 

— « , modern 134 

Christ, the true Messiah 341 

Christian religion 166 

— , different sects of • 171 

Christian Syrian church in India 213 

D 

Deists ft'* 3 

Destructionists« ♦ • • • • • 277 

Dissenters 273 

, from the Kirk of Scotland 288 

Dunkers 287 

E 

Egyptians * • • • 28 

Enthusiasts • • 300 

Esau and Jacob • 97 

E ssen es • 33S 



CONTENTS. Xix 

G Page 

Gnostics-.* 172 

Greek church • • 187 

Grecians • m 

H 

Hugonots • • » . • • • • • • 294 

Hutchinsonians 280 

I 

Independents • »•♦•• 240 

Indian nations of the east .................. 138 

Isaac, the patriarch * «......•• 94 

J 

Jacob, the patriarch 108 

Jews • • 330 

Jumpers 292 

K 

Kirk of Scotland 288 

L 

Levites • • 340 

Lutherans * 222 

Mahometanism 163 

Materialists 281 

Methodists 255 

— , new 264 

Millinarians 278 

Moabites and Midianites • • • ' 27 

Moravians 224 



CONTENTS. 



Pagc\ 

Mystery of the number 666 Rev. 13. 8. 207 
Mystics , 282 

N 

Nazarites • . . • 339 

Necessitarians .... - 5 

Nestorians » 191 

New Sect in America 293 

Nicholaitans • • 179 

P 

Fapdobaptists ■• 221 

Paganism 160 

European 162 

Paradise, state in • «* 6 

Patriarchal churches, the first 20 

Patriarchs, origin of the names of 21 

Patriarchs, ages of 25 

Patriarchs, the second order of 60 

Patriarchs, names and ages of the second order 75 

Patriarchs, — third order* • 110 

Patripassians • • 183 

Persians and Medes • • 52 

Persians • • • 55 

Pharisees 336 

Philistines * 35 

Presbyterians 232 

Protestant Church • • * 295 

Puritans 240 

Q 

Quakers • • • • • • * • 241 



CONTEXTS. Xxi 

R Page 

Religion?, history of i 

Romans, ancient • • 123 

Roman catholic 192 

S 

Sabatarians • • • 274 

Sabellians 183 

addncees ' 337 

Sandemanians 285 

Scribes - 338 

Scripture, and Divine Revelation • 5.1 

Serpent, worship of* • • 85 

Shakers 290 

Socinians 833 

Sublapsarians 239 

Supralapsarians 238 

Swedenborgians 269 

Syrians * • • 38 

T 

Targnms • • • • 331 

Tartary 157 

Theophilanthropists 319 

Trojans • • • • 46 

U 

Universaiists 284 

W 

Whittieldites . ••• 266 



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XX111 



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HISTORY 



OF 

2UI ^Religions, 



We are informed in the sacred scriptures 9 
that pure religion does not consist in a set of 
notions or opinions, but that it is the working 
of divine truth upon the heart ; agreeable to 
these words, thou shalt love the Lord thy God 
with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thy- 
self. But some may ask, how is it possible 
to love the Lord our God with all the heart, 
and our neighbors as ourselves, when the 
love of self is so closely united to our fallen 
A 



2 History of all Religions. 



nature? Let the apostle show that it is pos- 
sible for fallen nature to be restored, James 1. 
27. Pure religion and undefiled before God 
and the Father, is this : to visit the fatherless 
and widows in their affliction, and to keep him- 
self unspotted from the world. 

Now whoever answers to this description, 
most certainly loves his neighbor as himself, 
for though it be possible to visit the fatherless 
and the widow in their affliction, without pos- 
sessing the least pure religion ; yet if, at the 
same time, such a visitor keeps himself unspot- 
ted from the world, he does to others as he 
would they should do to him. His worldly 
transactions are governed by a principle of up- 
rightness, and he is in possession of every virtue, 
according to the declaration of the prophet, 
that God has required of man. Micah vh 8. 
And tehai hath the ILord required of thee, but 
to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk 
humbly with thy God. Religion being a 
system of divine faith in God, and of obedience 
to his commands, it must be interesting to 
every individual to be acquainted with the ori- 



History of all Religions, 



S 



gin and descent of the first religious system 
which God gave to man. 

Those who have hitherto attempted to give 
an account of the origin and descent of ancient 
religions, have begun with the Egyptians. 
Before this period, every thing of importance 
respecting the primeval people seems to have 
been neglected, as though no information con- 
cerning them could possibly be gained. Their 
learning, which must have been profound; 
their arts, sciences, manners, customs, and usa- 
ges, have been altogether unnoticed, as though 
they had been buried in oblivion with the 
waters of the deluge. 

t The reason however is plain. Profane his- 
torians have preserved some remains of the 
vestiges of antiquity ; to them we are so far 
indebted for much information concerning the 
customs of the second race of men, or from 
the time of Mitsraim, the grandson of Ham, 
who settled in Egypt, which country, in the 
original Hebrew, is called by his name. 



4 



History of all "Religions, 



Here they have stopped ; here was the great 
barrier that divided the two worlds ; every thing 
beyond this period has been wrapped up in 
darkness and uncertainty. But had they only 
searched the ancient scriptures attentively, 
which reach beyond the hoary-headed ages of 
the most remote profane antiquity ; had they 
attended to the names of persons, places, and 
things, which are there introduced, the He- 
brew pronunciation of which has been retained 
in all the European translations, instead of 
the true rendering ; much information, at this 
day, would have been before the public con- 
cerning those most ancient people. 

That much interesting intelligence might 
have been communicated relative to the cus- 
toms of the Antediluvians, by attending to the 
true meaning of words, instead of the literal 
rendering, will appear in the following pages. 
The ancient Egyptians have long had the honor 
of the invention of the constellations, but it is ob- 
vious, when we attend to the above-mentioned 
particulars, that they were handed down to them 



History of all Religions. 



from this scientific people, among whom the 
serpent, one of the most ancient symbols, had 
a place in the celestial sphere. These things 
will not only appear from the Hebrew words > 
but also from this consideration, that when 
God had finished his work, he did not leave 
man in ignorance, but gave him a complete 
knowledge of the whole creation, which know- 
ledge he had intuitively ; for such is the mean- 
ing of the passage concerning the creatures, 
and God brought them unto Adam to see what 
he would call them: and whatsoever Adam 
called every living creature, that was the 
name thereof. 

But it woijd be inconsistent with the ob- 
ject I have in view, to enter into an investi- 
gation of the knowledges of the people be- 
fore the flood ; my present business is to 
ascertain, as near as possible, the differ- 
ent PROFESSIONS OF RELIGION THAT 
HAVE APPEARED IN THE WOULD FROM 
THE BEGINNING OF TIME TO THE PRE- 
SENT day. I shall therefore proceed to ga- 



6 



State in Paradise. 



ther as much information concerning this mat- 
ter, as will be necessary, from the only 
history now extant, which reaches to those 
ages, and which on this account, is capable 
of giving certain knowledge on these subjects. 

To the ancient part of the Bible then, we 
must of necessity turn our attention, and here 
we shall find an ample fund of intelligence 
concerning the order and policy of the most 
perfect of all governments that have yet ap- 
peared on earth ; and of the regular descent of 
the first dispensation and church, from Adam, 
to the time of the last of the Antediluvian Pa- 
triarchs, Noah. 

i In endeavoring to give a concise history of 

ALL THE PROFESSIONS OF KELIGION, 

which have been handed down to us, we are 
naturally led back to the beginning of time, 
when God gave to man the first religion on 
record, which is contained in the first chap- 
ter of the book of Genesis. This being, through 
the providence of God, in the hand of every 



State in Paradise. 7- 



man, who is happy enough to be a subject of 
the British empire, it may be clearly seen that 
the unity of God or the worship of one God, 
was the grand doctrine which was first given 
to man. The unity of God is undeniably as- 
serted in the first verse of the book of Genesis, 
viz. In the beginning, God created the hea- 
ven and the earth, and as a proof of man's obe- 
dience, he was not to eat of the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil. 

This was the first dispensation, the fikst 
religion, the religion of innocence , com- 
prehending the most profound wisdom : con- 
cerning which, it perhaps will be difficult to 
form an adequate idea. What conception 
can we have of the wisdom of the first man, 
when we are told that the creatures were 
brought unto him, and whatsoever he called 
every living creature, that was the name there- 
of? Now the names of the creatures in He- 
brew, signify their natures ; but how wonder- 
ful must that knowledge have been ! how 
astonishing that perception ! which enabled 
Adam to know the natures of the creatures, 



6 The Adamic Church. 



and to give them names accordingly, so as to 
describe their most predominant or ruling pro- 
pensities ! Therefore, until we can form an idea 
of that state in which man was created, when 
ihe imagination and thoughts of the heart were 
ONLY GOOD CONTINUALLY, it will be in 
Tain to attempt to define, with any degree of 
accuracy, the nature and operation of that wis- 
dom and knowledge, which was manifested by 
the first of men. 

How long man continued to obey the com- 
mands ©f God in this happy state, is not for 
us to determine. Some have attempted to fix 
one time, some another ; but as we have not 
the least authority for determining this matter 
with any certainty, every assertion of this kind 
only amounts to supposition. All,, therefore, 
that we can possibly assert with certainty re- 
specting this is, that according to the divine 
testimony, man was created perfect, and that 
he fell from this original state by disobeying 
the commands of God. 

But no sooner had man fallen from that 



Rejection of Cain's Offering. 9 



state of happiness and bliss, than God provided 
a redeemer in the promised Messiah, viz. and 
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, 
and between thy seed and her seed, it shall 
bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 
And he also gave to man a new dispensation, 
and established a Church which comprehended 
sacrificial worship, and the divine communi- 
cation by means ^of the Cherubim, viz. and he 
placed at the east of the garden of Eden, 
Cherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned 
every way to keep the way of the tree of life. 
This was the form of the first religion 
given to man ; and it follows in the his- 
tory, that in process of time, Cain brought 
of the fruit of the ground an Offering unto 
the Lord. 

The profession of religion made by Cain 
appears to have been in opposition to that of 
Adam and Abel, and consequently contrary to 
that which was established by the command 
of God. For Cain brought his offering which 
was not accepted, therefore there must have 
been some reason why his offering was not 



10 Rejection of Cain's Offering. 



accepted. We may, however, collect some 
information concerning the particulars of this 
extraordinary departure from the true worship 
of God by the first-born of men. Cain was 
told, if thou dost well, shalt thou not be ac- 
cepted f and if thou dost not well, sin lieth at 
the door. From which we are authorised to 
draw this conclusion, that sin was the 
cause, viz. sin lieth at the door ; and that his 
order of worship was not consistent with that, 
which God had commanded to be observed. 

The offering itself was acceptable to God, 
but it was not a sacrifice ; he brought of the 
fruits of the earth, (agreeably to the occupa- 
tion of his lift) for an offering unto the Lord. 
Therefore the acceptance or non-acceptance ol 
it with God depended on the state of his mind 
and on his obedience to the commands of God: 
and by attending to the following particulars, 
we may to a certainty know what was the real 
cause of the rejection of his offering. 

It is clear from the scriptures that the first 
order of things, as instituted after the fall, con- 



'Rejection of Cain's Offering. 1 1 



tinued for a great length of time. In the trans- 
lation it is said, and in process of time it came 
to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the 
ground an .offering unto the Lord, in the ori- 
ginal, and it came to pass at the end of days ; 
which is a customary phrase in scripture tor 
a great length of time. 

After the disagreement between Cain and 
Abel, it is also said in the translation, and 
Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, 
and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of 
Eden. This passage has frequently been 
brought forward by Deists, to show the ineon- 
sistency of going to dwell in the land of 
Nod. I shall on that account make a few- 
remarks, to silence any objection to this in 
future. 

I have before observed that, when man had 
disobeyed the command of God, and the com- 
munication between him and his maker was 
cut off, as is plain from the words, and the 
voice of God rcent forth in the garden, that 
God provided a medium of communication by 



1 £ Rejection of Cain's Offering. 



the Cherubim at the east of the garden of 
Eden. A dispensation, an order of wor- 
ship very different from that, when the inter- 
course was immediate between God and man. 

The word Nod, the Hebrew pronunciation 
of which has been retained in all the transla- 
tions, means to wander. In this passage it 
is the participle active, viz, wandering, and 
the words from the presence of the Lord, 
though they are truly rendered, have neither 
meaning, nor application : for in the sense 
here understood, the presence of the Lord 
jnust have been in the land of Nod, as well 
as in the place where Cain had hitherto re- 
sided. But it is evident that this signified the 
place where the Cherubim and flaming sword, 
or emblematical sacred fire, were kept ; 
that it was more immediately in the presence 
of the Lord ; because, by this medium, he had 
condescended to reveal his will to man. These 
divine symbols were handed down in the be- 
lieving line of Seth to the Hebrews, who had 
this tabernacle and sacred fire, before that 
^hich was erected by Moses* 



Rejection of Cain's Offering. 13 



These words, from the presence of the 
Lord, convey to us this information : that 
Cain, disapproving of the established order of 
worship, which God had commanded to be 
observed, by approaching him who dwelt 

BETWEEN THE CHERUBIM, Went from the 

presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land 
wandering about the east of Eden, or began 
an order of worship contrary to that, which 
God had commanded to be observed. 

It is reasonable to conclude that this order 
of things which Cain wished to establish, 
was that without sacrifice, which was the order 
observed in the paradisaical state, where no 
sacrificial worship* was necessary. Nothing 
do we read of there but the fruits of the ground ; 
and this deviation from the command of God; 
this attempt to assume the state of things as 
ordained in paradise, by rejecting sacrificial 
worship, appears to have been the reason 
why his offering was rejected. But we must 
collect the particulars of this departure from 
the worship of God, and the fundamental 



14 Rejection of Cain's Offering. 



cause of the rejection of his offering, from 
the scriptures. 

When man had disobeyed the divine com- 
mand, and God had graciously promised to 
send a redeemer, it became necessary that a 
medium of representation should be introduced, 
by which man might look through the type 
or figure by faith, to the promised redeemer : 
and therefore offerings and sacrifices were or- 
dained to be observed, as representative of 
Christ who was to come. Now as sacrifices, 
as well as offerings, were commanded ; and 
as nothing was acceptable to God without a 
sacrifice ; had Cain obeyed the divine com- 
mand ; had he brought his sacrifice, and had 
he believed in the promise of God to redeem 
man by the coming of the Messiah, who was 
to be the great sacrifice, as all the sacrifices 
were to terminate in him ; his offering would 
have been accepted. 



And Abel also brought of the firstlings 
of his flock, and of the fat thereof The 



Rejection of Cain's Offering, 15 



offering brought by Abel was accepted, it was 
offered agreeable to the command of God ; 
therefore it must appear that Abel believed 
in the promise of God, that Christ should 
come and redeem man. 

Thus we find from scripture, that at this 
early period of the world there were two pro- 
fessions of religion : the religion of Cain, 
who did not believe the promise of God to re- 
deem man, which profession being founded in 
the pride of man brought forth the idolatry 
of the old world, or the worship of departed 
men ; and which descended through five ge- 
nerations to Lamech : and the religion of 
Abel, who, as above, believed in the fulfil- 
ment of the promise, ana 1 offered sacrifices 
as representative of Christ agreeable to the 
divine command ; which descended through 
nine generations from Seth to Noah. 

We may also further remark concerning 
Cain, that at the beginning, he, for a consider- 
able time, continued to offer sacrifices as well 
as offerings 5 because it is said, and in process 



16 Rejection of Cain's Offering. 



of time it came to pass that Cain brought of 
the fruit of the ground only, without a sa- 
crifice : for we cannot suppose that during 
this long interval, signified by the words, and 
it came to pass in process of time, Cain had 
neither brought offering nor sacrifice. It is 
proper to remark that the hebrew Vau in the 
first word of the next verse which is rendered, 
AND abelJ should, agreeable to the rule of 
the Hebrew language, be rendered, but, viz. 
but Abel brought, that is, Cain brought of 
the fruit of the ground an, offering unto the 
Tjord 7 but Abel brought even from the first- 
lings of hisfio ck, which sufficiently proves that 
Cain despaired of ever seeing the paradisaical 
state of things restored, which he had supposed 
would be the case, and therefore presumed to 
establish the first order of things : while Abel 
continued in faith to offer sacrifices, believing 
the promise of God to redeem man by Christ. 

One of two things we are under the neces- 
sity of admitting, either that Cain for a 
great length of time after the fall brought 
neither offering nor sacrifice ; or that for a 



Rejection of Cain's Offering. 



17 



great length of time after the fall, he brought 
both offering and sacrifice; and then in pro- 
cess of time it came to pass, that he omitted, or 
held sacrifices unnecessary, and, after the man- 
ner of the Eden state, he brought of the fruit 
of the ground only an offering unto the 
Lord; which was the reason that the man 
was rejected as well as the offering. 

The scripture fully justifies this view of 
the subject ; otherwise, where would have 
been the consistency of the divine legislation, 
unless some justifiable reason could be as- 
signed why God rejected his offering ? viz. 
But unto Cain and his offering he had no 
respect. Neither can we suppose that there 
was any partiality shown at this period ; be- 
cause God said, if thou dost well, shalt thou 
not be accepted ? or, according to the marginal 
reading which is nearer to the true sense of the 
original, if thou dost zcell, shalt thou not 

HAVE THE EXCELLENCY ? but if tllOU dost 

not zcell y sin lieth at the door. Which evi- 
dently refers, agreeable to the order of primo- 
geniture to him. that he was to have had the 



18 Rejection of Cain's Offering. 



excellency, or honor of the Messiah's coming 
in his line, had he done well, by continuing 
in the belief of the promise, and the continu- 
ation of the types and sacrifices, which signified 
the coming of the redeemer. 

These words, also, evidently mean that Cain 
had had the excellency, or had been accepted 
in this sense, by the question, if thou dost 
well, shalt thou not be accepted ? that is, thou 
hast heretofore done well^ and hast been ac- 
cepted, and if thou dost well, thou shalt be 
accepted again. Otherwise, the question 
would have been unnecessary, unless it had had 
reference to his having been once considered 
the head of the line, in which the Messiah 
would have made his appearance. 

Respecting the doctrines of this most an- 
cient church, we cannot doubt that the first 
grand essentials were : love to God ; charity to 
man, and faith in the fulfilment of the promise 
that the seed of the woman should bruise the 
head of the serpent ; that man should regain by 
the redeemer, what was lost by the transgres- 



Rejection of Cain's Offering. J 9 



sion of the first man ; because these essentials 
of true religion are comprehended in the com- 
mands, which God had given to Adam. 

It is not necessary here to enter into a dis- 
cussion concerning the longevity of the An- 
tediluvians ; much remains to be said on that 
subject: but it is proper to remark that the 
Patriarchs from Adam to Noah, who were 
supreme heads both in ecclesiastical and civil 
affairs, gave names to the church for the term 
of their natural life, during the whole of 
which term they governed : names signify- 
ing its declining state, and which names were 
changed at the accession of the hereditary suc- 
cessor in the order of primogeniture. 

It perhaps may afford pleasure and informa- 
tion to the reader if I show with what wisdoip 
and effect the venerable patriarchs applied this 
most significant nomenclature to the different 
states of the church. I do not know that it 
has been made known by any author, therefore 
it may be the more acceptable. It adds a great 
beauty to the original scriptures, because it 



20 First Patriarchal Churches* 



shows us how the church gradually fell away 
to the time of Noah, when no true church 
existed. And as no nation can possibly have 
the form of a regular government, to keep 
man in a state of civil society, unless there be 
a visible religion, and God be worshipped in 
sincerity ; it also informs us how necessary it 
was for God to give a new dispensation, 
which he did to Noah> the second visible father 
of all mankiud* 



THE FIRST PATRIARCHAL 

CHURCHES, 

Adam, at the birth of Seth, named him ac- 
cording to the state of the church. Seth 
means to settle, dispose, place, constitute, or 
reduce to order : which it is natural to suppose 
was necessary, as much confusion must have 



Origin of the names of the Patriarchs. 21 



taken place during the time of Cain and 
Abel. 

At the birth of enos, the patriarch Seth 
gave him a name consistent with the state of 
the church, over which he was to preside, di- 
rected no doubt by Adam who had all know- 
ledge intuitively in himself, and called him 
enos, which signifies a mortal state by sin; 
significant of the fall of Adam, by which the 
church was reduced to a state of misery, 

A similar state of the church was meant 
at the birth of Cainan the Son of Enos. Cai- 
nan means to lament , to mourn, to be in a de 
pressed state of mind; and so was significant 
of that state, in which it is natural to suppose 
the mind would experience sorrow by the loss 
of the blissful^ paradisaical state of Eden. 

Mahalaleel succeeded, who was so called 
in conformity to the custom at that day. Ma- 
halaleel signifies a departure from the praise 
or worship of the true God. The literal 
sense of which is, that the state of the church 



Origin of the names 



at this period was worse, as to doctrines and 
life, than it was at the beginning of the reign 
of Cainan, or any of the former churches, and 
that they departed more and more from the 
true worship of God universally. 

This departure continued when Jarad, the 
next successor, presided over the church 
and state. Jarad means to decline, to de- 
scend, and so was descriptive of that order of 
things in their progress towards the last state 
of that church. 

But Enoch the son of Jarad, who next 
succeeded to the supreme government, ap- 
pears to have attempted to restore the worship 
oi God by setting an example himself. 

Enoch has the following signification, to 
dedicate, to train up, and the word, which is 
rendered walked, is in the hithpael conju- 
gation, which means, he walked himself train- 
ing up with God, or worshipped God, and in- 
structed or trained up those who were willing 
to worship the true God. From this ex- 



of the Patriarchs. 



pression it appears, that the great mass of the 
people did not walk with, or zcorship, God; 
but were worshippers of idols. Therefore 
all the attempts of Enoch to establish the true 
worship of God, seem to have been alto- 
gether ineffectual. Methuselah, his son, suc- 
ceeded him, when a more ruinous state of 
things commenced, agreeable to the meaning 
of the word Methuselah, viz. and he sent forth 
death, which indicates a state of univer- 
sal idolatry, in scripture termed a spiritual 
death. 

This appears to be confirmed by the next 
successor, his son Lantech, the import of 
which is, a total decay or falling away, so 
complete in its kind as not to leave a single 
vestige, or appearance of what this church was 
in its origin. Love to God and charity to 
man, which were the actuating principles that 
constituted this church, appear to have been 
banished, and the love of self and the world, 
guided and directed every motion in the heart 
and soul of the whole human race. This is 
sufficiently evident from what is said in the 5th 



Origin of the names- 



verse of the next chapter, concerning the state 
of the world at this time, viz. And God saw 
that the wickedness of man was great in the 
earth, and that every imagination of the 
thoughts of the heart was only evil continually* 
A more complete picture of the universal de- 
parture from every principle and act of vir- 
tue and moral rectitude, was never drawn by 
any pen. The whole man was a lump of evil, 
for it is emphatically said, only evil, not in 
word only, but the imagination of the thoughts 
of his heart was evil — not for a time only, 
but the imagination of the thoughts of the 
heart was only evil continually. 

We come now to that period of the world 
when churches and different forms of religion 
began to be multiplied. Shem and Japhet 
were worshippers of the true God ; but Ham 
appears to have approved of the popular ido- 
latrous religion of the old world. Accordingly 
his grandson Nimrod built Babel, and laid 
the foundation of the Babylonian, or great 



of the Patriarchs. 



&5 



Assyrian, empire ; and established idolatry, for 
which worship twenty-two nations of the 
east became famous. 

This brings us to the end of this first 
patriarchal church, comprehending 
the second dispensation God had given to 
man. 



NAMES AND AGES OF THE 
PATRIARCHS 



OF THE 


FIRST 


ORDER* 






A.M. 


Died. 


Aged, 


Adam « . . 


bom 


930 


930 


Seth . . • 


ISO 


1042 


912 


Enos . . . 


235 


1140 


905 


Cainan • . 


325 


1235 


910 


Mahalaleel 


395 


12Q0 


895 



B 



2.6 



Origin of the names 





-4. M. 


Died* 




Jaked . . . 


460 


1422 


962 


Enoch . . . 


622 


987 


365' 


Methuselah 


687 


1656 


969 


Lamech . . 


874 


1651 


777 


Noah . . . 


1056 


2006 


950 



Agreeable to the order of the sacred his- 
tory, I shall begin with the descendants of 
Japhet, Gen. x. 2. The sons of Japhet, Go- 
mer, and Magog, and Medai, and Javan, 
and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. There 
can be no doubt, but that the worship of the 
true God was communicated by Japhet to his 
posterity, who governed fourteen nations. How 
long they continued in the true worship of God, 
as given by their progenitor, does not appear. 
But the records of the Bible inform us that 
some of these nations, which were distinguish- 
ed by the name of their respective founders, 
were very powerful nations at the time of the 
prophet Ezekiel, chap, xxxviii. 2. Son of man, 



1 Who was translated. 



of the Patriarchs. 



c 27 



set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog,- 
the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, ver. 
4. I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, 
horses and horsemen, ver. 5. Persia, Ethio- 
pia, and Libya with them. Thus w e find that 
they were of such consequence, as to bring 
Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them against 
Israel. We have a sure rule for determining 
that these nations at length fell away from the 
true worship of God, and became idolaters, 
because it is said that, by these descendants 
of J aphet, the isles of the Gentiles were divided 
in their land, and the Gentiles, or nations, for 
so the original word signifies, were universally 
idolaters. 

Ham is next on record; and here the sacred 
historian has been particular in giving the 
origin and descent of idolatrous worship after 
the flood. It appears to have been his design 
particularly to notice idolatry, and the true 
worship of God; the first introduced by Ham, 
the latter established by the patriarch Shem : 
therefore as Mitsraim, the son of Ham, set- 
tled in Egypt, I shall begin the inquiry con- 
cerning idolatrous worship with the Egyptians, 



23 



THE RELIGION 
Of THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS 

Consisted in the worship of the Serpent^ 
-which species of idolatry was handed down 
to them by Ham, and which wCs, no doubt, 
the universal worship of the Antediluvians. 
According to Pliny/ the Egyptians had a great 
many inferior deities, which they pretended 
governed nature : as Jupiter, or spirit; Vul- 
can, or fire ; Ceres, or the earth ; Oceanus, or 
the sea ; Minerva, or the air. They also had 
their terrestrial deities, or deified men, some 
of whom had the vanity to assume the names 
of their celestial gods. Thus, Chronus, 
Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, Juno, Vulcan, 
Vesta, Hermes, Orus, Venus, Pan, Apollo, 
Typhon, Mars, &c. whose souls they believed 
to have a habitation in the celestial sphere, 
as appears from Plutarch/ who informs us 



' Pliny's Nat. Hist. lib. 10. c. 66. " P. 362. 



Worship of the ancient Moabites, #c. £9 



that the} supposed the soul of Isis was trans- 
lated to Southes, or the Dog Star, the soul 
of Orus to the constellation Orion, and the 
soul of Typhon to Ursa Major, or the Great 
Bear. But notwithstanding they had such a 
number of gods, the Niolic serpent was the 
grand idol, and stood at the head of all their 
deities. This appears to be confirmed 
when Moses was brought before Pharaoh, 
and was commanded to cast down his rod, 
which became a serpent. The Magicians alsd 
did the same with their enchantments. Thus, 
by introducing their supreme idol, he showed 
them the folly and vanity of their worship, for 
the serpent of Moses devoured them all. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT MOAB- 
ITES, AND MIDIAN1TES 

Was much the same as that of the Egyp- 
tians. That they worshipped their departed 



80 Worship of the ancient Moabites. 



men, and offered sacrifices to them, is on re- 
cord in scripture. Chemosh and Baal-Peor 
were the idols of Moab ; and the Psalmist says, 
they joined themselves unto Baal-Peor, and 
ate the sacrifices of the dead, viz. the sacrifices 
offered up to their idols, or departed men 
whom they worshipped* 

These idols were both applied to signify the 
sensual passions ; Peor in Hebrew, means to 
open, used by them to signify the bringing 
forth young. Jerome says, Baal-Peor, was 
the same as the Greek and Roman Priapus, 
and that Chemosh was worshipped in Nebo,hav* 
ing the same application. The Greek Kw^og, 
was called by the Romans Comus, the god of 
wantonness and lascivious feasting. Both these 
idols were serpent-idols, representing the sen- 
sual principle in man. Thus as those people 
understood this animal to be the most subtle 
and sensual beast in nature ; they used it in an 
obscene way to signify the generation of the 
human race. 



31 



THE WORSHIP OF THE AMMONITES 

Had something in it more plausible than 
jnost of the idolatrous religions of the East. 

They worshipped the sun under the figure 
of a man in polished gold ; his face repre- 
sented the sun. In the body there were seven 
divisions for the reception of offerings. This 
idol was called Moleck, which in Hebrew 
means a king, or governor, the sun being king 
or ruler in nature. 

Many writers have supposed that the Am- 
monites were not only idolaters, but that they 
also performed their rites with the greatest 
cruelty; and that they made their children 
pass through fire to their idol. But such in- 
formation cannot be gathered from the bible, 
it has only been thus understood from the 
present translation: no such monstrous bar- 
barity is sanctioned in the original. This 



3£ Worship of the Amalakites. 



custom of passing their children through fire 
to Molech was similar to the custom of pas- 
sing their children through water at this day in 
baptism, as a sign that they are received into 
the church. Being worshippers of the solar 
fire represented by this idol, this passing them 
before the fire which was burning at his altar, 
was an outward sign that these children were 
considered as belonging to that religion, and 
they were registered in their temples, as was 
the practice among the Jews, and as is now 
the custom among all Christian nations. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE AMALA It IT E S 

Was the same as that of the Edomites, for 
they worshipped the same idols. Amalek was 
the first of the nations that fought against 
Israel ; they ignobly took an advantage of the 
rear of the Israelites, and maliciously smote 



Worship of the Canaanitts* S3 



those who could not defend themselves* 
Therefore they were commanded to destroy 
their government, not the people, and to blot 
it out from under Heaven. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE, CAN A AN ITES. 

That part of the world assigned to Ham, 
by Noah, w as divided among his sons ; Cush 
had that which afterwards became the Baby- 
lonian empire; Mitsraim settled in Egypt; and 
Canaan had the land which took his name, and 
his posterity were called Canaanites* 

Their religion appears to have been the 
same as that of the Ammonites. They wor- 
shipped the same idol 1 Molech, with the same 



*Lev. 18. 21. 



34 Worship of the Canaanites. 



ceremony of passing their children, or bring- 
ing them before this idol of the sun. From 
the commands given to Moses to destroy their 
altars^ and break down their images, and cut 
down their groves, and to burn their graven 
images with fire, it appears that they were 
idolaters of a deeper dye than most of the in- 
fatuated nations of Canaan. 

The true religion established by Noah does 
not however appear to have been altogether 
rejected by all the posterity of Ham, though he 
approved of, and introduced idolatry. Notwith- 
standing this was the prevailing profession in 
after-time, yet we find that the true worship of 
God was known among the Canaanites eight 
generations after Ham. In the time of Abra- 
ham, Melchizedek the king of Salem was a 
priest of the most high God, or a priest who 
taught the true worship of God, in opposition 
to the idolatrous worship which prevailed at 
that day. 



Religion of the ancient Syrians. 39 



f Fhis idol was a serpent idol, for as the serpent 
was originally considered as an emblem of in- 
rinite wisdom, as well as the wisdom, or sub- 
tilty of the sensual principle in man ; so also 
the word was used to signify the elevation, 
and springing forth of wisdom in man. 

The Syrians had also another idol, the wor- 
ship of which appears to have commenced 
when they ceased to worship the above idol, 
which was a figure of heavenly wisdom, and 
fell into a gross state of idolatry, by deifying 
their kings and their great heroes. Rimmon 
was partly neglected, when a new sect sprung 
up, and Ben-hadad the king received divine 
honors, as his name signifies, viz. the son of 
shouting, a custom among them when they met 
their enemies in the field of battle, by which 
they were intimidated, and which frequently 
caused them to gain the victory. 



40 



THE RELIGION OF THE ANCIENT ASSY- 
RIANS OR BABYLONIANS 

Followed that of the Syrians. It has been 
considered to be involved in much obscurity, 
but the scriptures will help us, so as to deter- 
mine the religion of this very ancient nation* 

Nimrod appears to have been the founder of 
the Babylonian empire, for in the 10th chap- 
ter of Genesis, ver. 10. it is said, and the 
beginning of his kingdom was Babel. Some 
writers have given priority to Nineveh ; they 
were both royal cities, but Babel appears by 
the scriptures, which are the best authority, 
to have been the beginning of the empire <Tf 
Babylon. It is said that Ashur went forth, 
and built Nineveh, but the true reading is as 
follows, from that land he (Nimrod) went 
forth to Assyria, and built Nineveh. So that 
there does not appear to have been any consi- 
derable time between the building of Babel, 
and the building of Nineveh. 



Religion of the ancient Assyrians, 41 



Nisroch appears to have been the most fa- 
vorite idol of the Assyrians, 2 Kings, xix. 37* 
and Isaiah xxxvii. 38. Nisroch means the 
great one y the chief above all others, and was 
originally intended to personify the majesty of 
heaven. They had also a number of idols of 
lesser note, for when the king of Assyria took 
the Israelites away captive to Babylon, he 
brought people from Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, 
and Sepharvaim. And these people who were 
all idolaters, but of different sects, brought 
with them the idols of their particular worship. 
Thus we read that those who came from Ba- 
bylon made Succoth Benoth. Lexicographers 
have supposed that these words Succoth benoth y 
meant temples dedicated to the daughters of 
the heathen, where they were to prostitute 
themselves once in their lives to strangers, who 
were on that account to make a gift to the 
goddess. But notwithstanding all that has 
been said concerning such an abomination, 
there has not been any thing advanced 
that can be depended on, to prove that this 
was permitted to be done. It is not pos* 
sible to suppose that parents would coun- 



42 Religion of the ancient Assyrians. 



tenance the ruin of their children, which must 
have been inevitably the case, had this been 
true. The bad policy of a proceeding of this 
sort is too evident for it to obtain credit, as it 
would have added to the family, which would 
have given birth to much distress among the 
poor, and it would also have vitiated the minds 
of all the women in the nation. Neither are 
we to suppose that the wise men of that day 
would mee.t in their temples to worship young 
women, who themselves went to worship also. 

Succoth benoth is only a different name for 
Ashtaroth karnaim, or the Moon and Venus ; 
for as Ashtaroth karnaim, means < the horned 
circuit-making goddesses/ so Succoth means < to 
hide, or overshadow/ and benoth, ' daughters / 
alluding to those planets when they assume the 
crescent form, as then the other parts of their 
bodies are hidden or overshadowed. As these 
words Ashtaroth Karnaim, and Succoth be- 
noth, are feminine nouns in Hebrew, it shows 
us that the Moon and Venus being so con- 
sidered in the European languages, is after 
the manner of those ancient people. 



Religion of the ancient Assyrians. 43* 



The sacred history proceeds. And the 
men of Cuth made Nergal, i. e. the rolling 
light, and the men of Hamath made Ashma 9 
the mediator ; and the Avites made Nebhaz^ 
the examiner; andTartak, the binder in chains, 
or the temple of judgment ; and the Sephar- 
vites made Adramelek, the glorious king ; and 
Anamelek, the humble ki?ig. 

Babylon was in its origin a colony of Egypt, 
and therefore the idolatry of Egypt passed into 
that country. But we find that this empire 
became exceedingly great, and far out-shone 
the mother country, both as to extent and 
population. Therefore as there must have 
been a cause for this great prosperity either 
in the religious or civil order of things, we 
must draw our information respecting this 
matter from the scriptures. 

At the commencement of the colony of 
Babylon, the worship of the Serpent which 
was the primary idol of the Egyptians, was 
also the idol of Babel. But in order to make 
this country vie with Egypt, they adopted the 



44 



Religion of the ancient Assyrians. 



sound policy of permitting the settlers from 
the different idolatrous nations, to build tem- 
ples to the idols they had been accustomed 
to worship, as above. 

Thus were the people of many nations per- 
mitted to settle in the province of Babylon, 
till at length by the great increase of popu- 
lation, it laid the foundation of that power 
which subjugated all the nations of the east. 
They were all idolaters, but of different sects, 
a mixture from all the idolatrous kingdoms, 
and the empire was called on that account 
Babel, which means to mix or mingle, for so 
they permitted the people to mix with all 
professions. This was the one great cause 
of the prosperity of that nation, which pre- 
pared the way for the establishment of one 
of the greatest empires in the world ; the 
greatest as to extent and population, and 
more lasting than any that succeeded it. 

But as I have before observed, we are not 
to suppose that these ancient people, the most 
refined and learned of all the nations at that 



Religion of the ancient Assyrians. 45 



period, were so stupid in the beginning as to 
worship idols of gold, silver, brass, wood, and 
stone, as such only. They first looked on 
things in outward nature as representatives of 
the different passions and propensities in man, 
as we find in the prophet, where he is shown in 
the chamber of imagery, clean and unclean 
beasts, the first signifying the good, and the 
latter the evil affections, but which in after-time 
were not attended to, so as to represent the 
abomination of evil, and the beauty of good- 
ness. On this account it was, that the ignorant 
part of the community began to w orship them, 
and at length the prevalence of example ren- 
dered this gross idolatry universal. 

This was the state of the religion of the 
ancient Babylonians, when the empire was in 
the zenith of its prosperity. Their power 
became so great, that they conquered all the 
Eastern nations, and so formed a vast and 
universal empire. In this state it appears to 
have been at the time of Nebuchadnezzer, 
when the unbounded ambition of that monarch 
introduced a new state of things in their reli- 



46 



Religion of the Trojans. 



gion, or rather an addition to the established 
worship of the land, by the deification of 
himself. 

The Babylonian kings had many names. 
The name of Nebuchadnezzer appears to 
agree with the memorable dream in Daniel, 
concerning the tree which was to be cut down^ 
but the stump was to remain in the ground, 
signifying that the kingdom was not to be 
taken from him, after he was sensible that the 
heavens did rule the kingdoms of this world. 
Nebuchadnezzer is a compound word. Nebu 
means to bud^or germinate; chad , to shoot forth; 
and nezzar, a scion or shoot, which, though it 
be cut down, will florish. 



THE RELIGION OF THE TROJANS* 



It appears consistent with the order of his- 
tory, that the religion of the ancient Trojans 



Religion of the Trojans. 



47 



should follow that of the Babylonians. The' 
intercourse between these two ancient nations, 
on account of their proximity, must have been 
frequent, and their customs and habits must 
also have been similar, both as to their reli- 
gious and civil policy. 

It is evident from the writings of Homer, 
that the founders of the Trojan monarchy 
must have had just ideas concerning God and 
his superintending Providence. Though they 
admitted in their list of deities something like 
polytheism, which was nothing more in its 
origin than a personification of the virtues and 
vices, yet they acknowledged one supreme 
being only. These gods are described in the 
Iliad at one time as asleep on their couches, 

" All but the ever-wakeful eye of Jove." 

According to Virgil, 1 the idol of the greatest 
repute among the ancient Trojans was Cybele, 
" the worship of which," agreeably to the best 
authorities, " was brought into Troas, or 



* Virg. lib. 3. 



48 Religion of the Trojans, 



Troy, from Crete by Teucer, the king of the 
island, and the father of the Trojans." It is 
literally a Hebrew word from Chibabel, like 
Babel, which shows that the religion of the 
Trojans came originally from Babylon ; and, 
as the religion of Babylon came from Egypt, 
which was the worship of the serpent, the 
religion of the Trojans must have consisted in 
the worship of the serpent. 

I may be told that the goddess Cybele was 
not worshipped in the form of a serpent, but 
of a woman. It must, however, be noticed, 
that the serpent was worshipped under a 
variety of applications ; and, as it was under- 
stood to be superior to all animals for circum- 
spection or prudence, so it was a personifica- 
tion of a virtuous woman, who, it must be 
allowed, possesses that great ornament of the 
sex in a far higher degree than man. 

This idol was worshipped after the manner 
of the Babylonians, on hills and conspicuous 
places, which custom these nations took prin- 
cipally from the Hebrews, who worshipped 



Religiok of the Trojans. 



4& 



God on mountains and hills. The worship of * 
this idol became very general throughout all 
Phrygia. Many of their ceremonies were 
taken from the ancient part of Scripture, but 
at length they fell into fable, gross idolatry, 
and superstition. They had a peculiar vene- 
ration for the pomegranate and the vine-tree, 
which were used as emblems in the worship of 
God: the first was figured on the border of the 
garment of Aaron. 

Their ceremonies of mortifying the body 
were carried to the same pitch of frantic mad- 
ness, as we read concerning the priests of. 
Baal, who cut their bodies with knives when 
they worked themselves up into ecstasies, and 
pretended to have divine communication. 

It will not be difficult for us to determine 
the origin of the worship of this goddess. 
Cybele, in the heathen mythology, is said to 
have been the mother of the gods, who sprung 
from the rocks after the deluge ; which was 
evidently taken from that epocha. The wife 
of Noah was by them honored as a goddess, 
c 



50 Ueligian of the Trojans. 



and her three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet, 
in after-ages were worshipped. 

The history of Samuel is also preserved in 
their mythology, under the name of Attis, 
whose mother they feign to have conceived 1 
" by taking the fruit of the pomegranate tree ; 
she had a son, who was brought up by Phor- 
bus, and who, when he grew up, and was going 
to take a wife, a fatal occurrence deprived him 
of her, and he emasculated himself under a 
pine-tree." 

This is the account of Samuel mutilated, 
when his mother went to the temple to ask of 
God to give her a child, who was taken by 
Eli, and devoted to the service of God in the 
temple. 

Troy florished at the time of the Judges of 
Israel; and its destruction took place about 
the time of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. 
It is worthy of remark, that when Homer sung 



1 Arnohius, lib. 8, 



Religion of the Trojam. 



51 



the battles of the gods with the giants, he sung 
the battles or the Hebrew leader in the land of 
Canaan : as may be proved from the synchro- 
nism of events recorded in the Bible, and 
introduced by the poet. 

Having said as much as is necessary concern- 
ing the descendants of Ham, from whom 
descended twentv-two nations, and of their 
different idolatrous sects, 1 shall now introduce 
those gentile nations, who descended from 
Shem. Concerning Arphaxad, the son of 
Shem, in whose line the Messiah was to come, 
I have spoken in the chapter of the second 
order of the patriarchs. 

The true worship of God continued amontf 
some of the descendants of this people to the 
time of Abraham, and Moses, for Melchizedek 
was king of Salem, which was the ancient 
name of Jeru-salem, and priest of the most 
high God ; and Jethro, the father-in-law of 
Moses, was a prince and a priest of Midian. 
So that, though idolatrous worship was the 
established worship of the eastern nations at 
(hat period, yet the worship of the true God, 



5'i Religion of the ancient 



as it was established by Noah, was not alto- 
gether banished from the land of Canaan. 

■ 

The descent from the patriarch begins in the 
£2d verse. The children of Shem, Elam, and 
Ashur, and Lud, and Aram, who formed 
gentile nations. I shall therefore begin with 
Elam, the eldest son of Shem, and the fathet 
of the Elamites so often mentioned in Scrip- 
ture, which will introduce 

THE RELIGION OF THE ANCIENT 
PERSIANS AND MEDES. 

The religion of the ancient Persians is of 
very great antiquity ; 1 it is carried back by them 
as far as the time of Elam, the son of Shem ; 
they believed him to be the author of their 
Sophy or holy book. Undoubtedly there were 
sacred books delivered to him by his father 
Shem, who had them from Noah, the name* 
of which are mentioned in the Bible, though 
we have them not. 



1 Prideaux, Vol. I. p. 299, 



Persians and Medes. 



55 



The descendants of Shem dwelt to the east 
of all the descendants of Ham. ver. 30. And 
their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest 
unto Sephar a mount of the east; which agrees 
with Numbers, xxiii. 7. when Balak sent 
to that part of the country for a prophet 
to curse Israel, viz. And he took up his parable 
and said, Balak, the king of Moab, hath 
brought me from Aram, out of the mountains 
of the east, saying, come, curse me Jacob, and 
come, defy Israel, Tt being known to him 
that they were worshippers of the God of 
heaven, and that the Aramitish prophets 
originally had the power of blessing and curs- 
ing, on which ground Balak expected success 
in opposing Israel. For it is said of Ab-ram, 
which in Hebrew means, the father of the 
land of Aram, I zcill bless them that bless thee, 
and curse him that curseth thee, Gen. xii. 3. 

It is also sufficiently evident that the found- 
ers of this very ancient nation descended from 
El am, the son of Shem ; that their posterity 
formed the Persian empire, and gave the name 
of their progenitor to the first province in 
Persia, which became the residence of their 



54 Religion of the ancient, §c. 



kings. Dan, viii. 2. At Shushan in the palace, 
which is in the province of El am* 

The ancient Persians cannot be ranked with 
the idolatrous nations; for, descending from 
the patriarch Shem, they were taught the 
worship of the true God, which continued 
among them when almost all the eastern 
nations were sunk in gross idolatry. Some 
writers have charged the Persians with being 
worshippers of fire, and the sun; but this has 
been a mistake. It appears that they most 
scrupulously adhered to the worship of God 
in primary things, as was commanded in the 
books of Moses, which worship was much the 
same as that established by Abraham. In die 
criptures we find that the sacred ever-burning 
fire was used as an emblematical representa-r 
tion of the ever-living God. He appeared 
to Moses in the flaming fire, and led the Israel- 
ites through the wilderness by a pillar of fire, 
It w as kept burning in the temple before the 
altar ; therefore it would be as reasonable to 
charge the ancient Hebrews with being wor- 
shippers of the fire, as the ancient Persians., 
because they kept it burning in their temples. 



Religion of the modern Persians. 55 



According to the best authorities, they agree 
with the Hebrews in the accounts thev give 
concerning the patriarch Abraham, and with 
the Mahometans in ascribing certain books to 
him. 



THE KELIGION OF THE PERSIANS 



Was in many instances, before the introduc- 
tion of the religion of Mahomet, like the 
Mosaic, which was introduced by their legisla- 
tor Zoroaster, w ho had his learning and religion 
from the books of Moses, as to essentials. So 
that it was more like a returning to first prin- 
ciples, than an introduction of any thing new, 
According to the most authentic account of the 
Persian religion, at this period, they believed 
that God created the world in six divisions of 
time; that these divisions of time were not 
days, but sates comprehending a certain -num- 
ber of days each. 



56 



Religion of the Persians. 



But the established religion of Persia is 
Mahometan, and they only differ from the 
Turks in this ; the Turks reckon the descent 
from Mahomet by Abubeker, derived from 
the Hebrew 28 father, and baker, 
the first, i. e. the first father ; whereas the 
Persians begin the descent from Mahomet by 
EH, from the Hebrew *f}$ Eli, ' my God' 

Ashur, the second son of Shem, appears to 
have given the name to Assyria. The word Ashur 
means to bless, and it originally had reference to 
the author of all blessing, both in time and in 
eternity. A belief in the promise, Gen. iii. 15. 
that the Messiah should come, which, as ob- 
served, was taught by Shem. Therefore they 
were originally worshippers of the true God. 

We have but little said in Scripture concern- 
ing Lud ; his descendants became a very con- 
siderable nation, and were a warlike people in 
the time of the prophets. According to the 
best authorities, the Lydians had their origin 
from Lud; 1 for they are mentioned by the 



« Josephus, S68, 369. 



Religion of the Persians. 



57 



prophet Ezekiel as coming with Persia to 
Tyre ; and we have seen that the Persians 
descended from Elam, the brother of Lud. 
And it is as reasonable to conclude that the 
Lydians, (in the original Ludims ) were so 
called from Lud, as that the Elamites were so 
called from Elam. 

Though they were undoubtedly worshippers 
of the true God, as taught by Shem, yet it 
appears, that, in after-time, they worshipped 
the Moon, as the queen of heaven. 

On account of the commercial intercourse 
between the Hebrews, the Persians, and 
the Lydians, we find that the worship of the 
moon, as the queen of heaven, had made its 
way into Judea. They had heard the fame of 
their famous temple of Diana, or the moon, 
which was built in the great city Magnesia, 
and destroyed, according to Strabo, 1 by an 
earthquake. 

■ mm n — i « ■ ■■ - 



1 Strabo, lib, u c. 36r 



58 Religion of the Persians. 



They were very expert in the use of the bow, 
as is mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah, 
ch. xlvL 9- though some have contradicted it 
as it stands in the translation ; but the trans- 
lation is right, for kaasheth signifies a bow 
throughout the Scriptures. 

Aram, who was the fifth son of Shem, gave 
the name to the kingdom of Aram, which was 
afterwards called Syria. And by future con- 
quests of the surrounding nations, whose 
territory was then annexed to, and became a 
part of this empire, it was called Assyria. 
The word Aram is the Hebrew word, and it 
was continued in our English bibles to the 
time of Elizabeth, where the country is called 
Aram, and the inhabitants Aramites. 

The word Aram literally means, I will 
elevate, or lift up, which, in the time of the 
Hebrews, many ages after this period, was 
applied to the heave-offering, which was ele- 
vated, or lifted up. Undoubtedly the patriarch 
Shem gave this name with reference to the 
ancient belief in the coming of the Redeemer, 
in remembrance of whom, burnt-offerings, 



Religion of the Persians. 59 



and sacrifices were then lifted up before the 
altar erected by Noah : and which sacrificial 
worship descended to the Hebrews, and was 
understood by them agreeably to the original 
institution. 

But notwithstanding that the descendants of 
Aram worshipped the living God, in process 
of time they fell into the polite worship of 
their brethren, the descendants of Ham ; who 
honored the memory of the progenitor of the 
Aramites with a temple dedicated to him. 
Their intercourse with the Philistians, the 
descendants of Ham, who worshipped one of 
their progenitors, viz. Aram, no doubt intro- 
duced the worship of this deified man among 
them, anrrthey built a temple to him as we read 
in Joshua, ch. xiii. 27. the temple of Aram, by 
which policy they were enabled to introduce 
the worship of their own idols among them. 
Such has been the craft of bigotry and super- 
tftition in all ages. 



60 



THE SECOND ORDER OF THE 
PATRIARCHS. 

The second order of the Patriarchs begins 
with Noah. The word Noah, means rest, or 
to lead zvith gentleness and peace. This name 
was given to the first patriarch of this dispens- 
ation, because it was foretold that through 
him, the church, which had departed from its 
original purity, was again to be established. 
Gen. v. 29. -And he called his name Noah, 
saying, This same shall comfort us concerning 
our work and toil of our hands, because of the 
ground which the Lord hath cursed. From 
this passage we learn, that the divine commu- 
nication from between the cherubim, was con- 
tinued to the second order of patriarchs, not- 
withstanding the first church had come to its 
consummation in the time of Lamech. He 
was instructed to communicate this informa- 
tion, which was given him according to the 
appointed order of that dispensation. 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 6-1 



We find that God gave a new dispensation 
to Noah, comprehending seven command- 
ments. 

The first was, that they should not commit 
adultery. 

2nd. That they were not to blaspheme. 

3rd. That they should appoint just judges. 

4th. That they were not to commit incest. 

5th. That they were not to commit murder,, 
or injure any one. 

6th. That they were not to steal, roty or 
plunder. 

7th. That they were not to eat flesh with 
the blood thereof. 

These were the seven precepts given to 
Noah when God renewed the promise of the 
coming of the Messiah to him ; a strict 
observance of which, was to ensure rest or 
peace to the church. From which we may 
to a certainty conclude that all things prohibited 
in this dispensation, constituted the crimes of 
the Antediluvians, 



6& Second order of the Patriarchs. 



Shem succeeded Noah in the supreme go- 
vernment of church and state, which appears 
to have received the form and order of the first 
patriarchal institution. He was a zealous 
promoter of the worship of the true God, and 
believed that the ancient promise of a redeemer 
would, in the fulness of time, be accomplished ; 
oh which account the holy one was to come 
in his line. 

Shem, means primarily, to put in order—- 
to place—to apply—to put in array, and in a 
secondary sense, a name, as having been put 
in order, to be distinguished. Thus we meet 
with rtfiT DIP the name of the Lord; and 
from this word also the word heaven is derived^ 
because every thing there is placed in the most 
perfect order. 

The name Shem was given to this son of 
Noah, because he was to place and keep in 
order all things respecting the worship of the 
| true God, in opposition to. that of the worship 
of idols ; which was established in the line of 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 63 



Ham. On this account it was that the vener- 
able patriarch, in the spirit of prophesy, was 
instructed to say what should take place among 
the descendants of Shem and Ham, 1500 years 
before it was accomplished ; Gen. ix. ver. 25, 
26. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and 
Canaan shall be his servant. Cursed be Can- 
aan, a servant of servants shall he be unto his 
brethren. The literal meaning of which in 
the original Hebrew is, that Shem and his 
posterity zcill worship the Lord God of Hea- 
ven, and the Canaanites the descendants of 
Ham shall be his servants. Which was li- 
terally accomplished at the time when the 
Israelites came out of Egypt, for the Can- 
aanites were conquered by the Hebrews, and 
thus became their servants, who were servants 
to the Egyptians. 

Arphaxad succeeded Shem in the govern- 
ment of the church and state ; he was the 
third son of Shem, and was according to that 
ancient constitution a priest as well as a tem- 
poral patriarchal king. The word Arphaxad, 
is a compound word, and means, to pour 



64 Second order of the Patriarchs. 



forth, and spread abroad the light. He appears 
to have been so named, because at this period 
he and the church spread abroad the divine 
light concerning the coming of the redeemer, 
which light , as well as the belief in him, was 
to lighten every man that cometh into the world* 
Among all the sons of righteous Shem, Ar- 
phaxad was chosen to be the visible head of 
the true church of God, in whose line the 
Shiloh, the deliverer, and the light of the world 
came, and he was therefore properly called 
Arphaxad, or the spreader abroad of the 
divine light. 

Salah succeeded Arphaxad* The name 
Salah, which means, to put or send forth, at 
a tree its branches, was given to him by his 
father Arphaxad, because in his time the 
church, over which he was to preside, began 
to increase and spread forth its doctrines, in 
opposition to the idolatrous notions of that 
day. 

Eber the son of Salah succeeded to the go- 
vernment of the church. Eber is a wwd which 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 03 



relates to the covenant of God with man, viz. 
to redeem him from the calamities of the fall 
by the coming of the Messiah. It means, to 
pass ore;', and is used in this sense in scrip- 
ture, alluding to tne patriarchal custom of 
passing between the parts of a divided sacrifice. 
Gen. xv. 10. Jer. xxxiy* 18. Entering into 
a covenant. Deut. xxix.lC. That thou should at 
enter into covenant with the Lord thy G od, 
It was applied by the Hebrews to the pass- 
over, when they came out of Egypt, and 
accordingly the pass over was instituted in 
commemoration of the divine goodness, who 
passed over the first born in Egypt, and 
which pointed out the great and last sacrifice 
at the passovep, when the Messiah came, 
who was to pardon and pass over iniquity, 
transgression, and sin. This faith in the 
eternal sacrifice seems to have pecu- 
liarly characterised the church in the time of 
Eber ; sacrifices by slaving of animals were 
observed as types of the coming of the re- 
deemer : and what is worthy of our notice is, 
that the beasts and birds which were command- 
ed to be offered, are said to be clean : and 



66 Second order of the Patriarchs, 

. i — - ■ - - - - ■ • ■ - ■ ■ 

Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and took 
of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, 
and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Plainly 
that as clean beasts are used by the prophets 
to signify the pure affections, all believers in 
the ancient promise concerning the coming of 
the Messiah, who obeyed the commands of 
God, should be purified in heart and life, and 
should finally enjoy eternal happiness. The 
descendants from Eber, the great grandson of 
Shem, were called from him Hebrews; a 
name they have retained to this day. And 
thus at this period of the world it showed their 
firm belief in the coming of the Messiah, who 
was to pass over, and forgive all those who 
Relieved in him, and lived agreeably to his 
precepts. 

The next in the order of primogeniture is 
Peleg. Peleg means to divide, therefore it is 
said, in his days the earth was divided. Some 
have thought that this has relation to the earth; 
that originally it w r as in one compact mass, and 
that at this period of the world it was divided 
by an earthquake as it is now ; but a supposi- 
tion of this nature cannot be admitted, because 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 67 



it leaves us to conclude that the divine being 
could not foresee what should happen, and 
therefore that when the time came, he found it 
necessary to make this division. But leaving 
such suppositions to those who can be satisfied 
with them, I shall give a more rational account 
of this transaction, more consistent with the 
understanding of the original w riter of the sa- 
cred scriptures, which treat only concerning 
things appertaining to religion, and the future 
state of man. 

By the earth, in scripture language, is fre- 
quently meant the inhabitants, Gen. vi. 11. 
The earth also was corrupt. — Ch. xi. h 
And the whole earth zvas of one language. 
Ch. xix. 31. After the manner of all the 
earth. — 1st Chron. xvi. 23. Sing unto the 
Lord all the earth. Psalm c. Make a joy- 
ful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. — Deut, 
xxxii. 1 . Hear, O earth, the rcords of my month. 
— 1st Kings, x. 24. and all the earth sought 
Solomon. Therefore it is more consistent 
with enlightened reason, and we have the 
authority of scripture to conclude, that some 



6& Second order of the Patriarchs, 



other division was meant by the sacred writer. 
Now as it appears that these names were given 
by the patriarchs to their descendants to signify 
the states of these patriarchal churches, it is 
also as certain that at this time a division 
was made among them, for a singular change 
took place in the first order of patriarchs, from 
Adam to Enoch, who are said to have 
lived 800 years after the birth of their suc- 
cessor. Thus, 

Seth after the birth of Enos, 807 years. 

Enos after the birth of Cainan, - 8 J 5 
Cainan after the birth of Mahalaleel, 84(1 
Mahalaleel after the birth of Jarad, 830 
Jarad after the birth of Enoch, - 800 

And that this applies to the ecclesiastical de- 
partment, or the church, as well as to the patri- 
archs, may be allowed, because it is said that 
Enoch walked with God three hundred years 
after the birth of Methuselah, before he was 
translated ; which is sufficient to convince us 
that a very considerable change took place 
in the church in the time of righteous 
Enoch. 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 6$ 



Thus it is said of the first five patriarchs y 
beginning with Seth, by whom the first visible 
church was manifested, that they lived upwards 
of 800 years after the birth of their first-born 
son, to the change which took place in the 
time of Enoch : even as it is said of the first 
five patriarchs of the second order from Noah, 
by whom the second visible church was mani- 
fested, that they lived upwards of 400 years 
only after the birth of their first-born son, to the 
change which took place at the time of Peleg, 

Noah was 500 years old at the birth of 
Shem, Ham, and Japhet, Gen. v. 32. but as 
it is expressly said that he lived 350 years after 
the flood, ch. ix. 29. and that his three sons 
were married when they went into the ark, they 
must have been 50 years old at the time of the 
flood, which authorises us to state that after 
the birth of his first-born son, 

Noah lived 400 years. 

Shem after the birth of Arphaxad, 500 
Arphaxad after the birth of Salah, 403 
Salah after the birth of Eber, - 403 
Eber after the birth of Peleg, ~ 430 



i 



70 Second order of the Patriarchs. 



But that which confirms us in the opinion 
that the division of the earth in the time of Pe~ 
was a division of the church is, that from Peleg, 
leg, to Serug, these patriarchs are said to have 
lived only half the time of the first five, that is 
QOQ years after the birth of their first-born son. 
Thus Peleg lived after the birth of Reu, £09 
years; Reu after the birth of Serug, 207 
years; Serug after the birth of Nahor, 200 
years. 

Now if we consider that at this period, the 
Chaldean empire was extending its conquests 
over a great part of the east, that the love of 
dominion when aided by power will not suffer 
itself to be coniroled, it is no wonder that 
the Chaldean power put an end to this ancient 
patriarchal monarchical form of government. 
We have scripture and history to prove that 
this division, which took place in the time of 
Peleg, was a division of the kingly and the 
priestly offices, arising from a general 
apostacy from the true w orship of God, which 
caused a division in the church ; the greatest 
part, either from compulsion, or from the 
prevalence of example, adopted the polite 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 7 1 



worship of the Babylonians, the descendants of 
Ham. Thus the monarchical form of govern- 
ment, which from the time of Noah had been 
joined to the ecclesiastical, was now divided; 
but the priestly patriarchal was still retained 
in Peleg, and in his descendants d$wn to 
Serug; like that which now exists in the pa- 
triarch of the Greek church at Constantinople, 
who is considered as a nominal head of that 
church, but who has not any power as a tem- 
poral prince; or like the pope, who is reduced 
to a similar situation. 

Again it is said, that this second race of 
patriarchs to Serug, who were born after the 
flood, lived 30 years before the birth of their 
first-born son. Thus, 

Arphaxad lived 35 years to Salah. 

Salah - 30 years to Eber. 

Eber - 34 years to Peleg. 

Peleg - 30 years to Reu. 

Reii - 32 years to Serug. 

Seru<x - 30 vears to Nahor. 

On the first reading, it appears strange that 
all these patriarchs should be nearly of the 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 



same age at the birth of their first-born son, 
and Deists have often brought this forward as 
an argument against the Bible. But if we 
attend to the manners, customs, and usages of 
those ancient people, as mentioned in the sa- 
cred scriptures, we shall be satisfied that it 
was consistent with the order which was esta- 
blished at that day. 

It was a custom among the ancient Athe^ 
hians, not to enter into the marriage state till 
they were thirty years of age ; and since this 
custom was derived from the ancient Hebrews, 
every objection to the patriarchs' being of the 
same age when they married must vanish. The 
number thirty seems to have been particularly 
attended to by these ancient people, for it ap- 
pears that they were not permitted to officiate 
in the priestly office under thirty years of age. 
This we find to have been the custom in after- 
ages, Numb. iv. 5. From thirty years old and 
upward, even unto fifty years old, all thai enter 
into the host, to do the work in the taber- 
nacle of the congregation. This custom wad 
observed by Christ, when he began to preach* 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 73 



Matt. iii. 23. Neither does it appear that the 
patriarchs married above once, and that was 
at the time when they entered into the ministry, 
which custom is observed in the Greek church 
to this day. 

Reu succeeded Peleg. The meaning of 
the word Reu is to break, break off, or to 
break the long established order of things : 
from which we learn, that as this church de- 
parted more and more from the true worship 
of God, to the time of Nahor who was an 
idolator; so we are authorised to conclude 
that in the time of Reu, the long established 
order, which had existed from the time of 
Noah, was broken ; and things introduced 
which were inconsistent with the doctrine 
and practice of the church in his time, and in 
the time of those who succeeded him. Until 
this remarkable period the true worship of 
God, as established in the time of Noah, was 
observed, and from the time of Peleg and 
Reu, the established worship was broken : 
from whence we are authorised to date the 
beginning of idolatry in the line of Shem. 

D 



74 Second order of the Patriarchs. 



Serug his son confirmed this change. The 
word Serug means to wrap together, to be 
zoreathed or twisted together, like the tender 
branches of a vine, Gen. x. 12. — Joel i. 7. 
which, in conformity with the former state, 
shows that the church in the time of Serug, 
continued the separation or division. Thus 
when the church had fallen into gross errors, 
they united themselves together with those, 
who had joined the popular idol-worship. 

This appears to have been the very last stage 
of this ancient patriarchal church, when the 
true worship of God was not known as a na- 
tional, or public worship : but instead there- 
of, idols, and visible representations under 
the delusive idea of a personification of the 
attributes and infinite excellencies of a supreme, 
were at length worshipped. For we read that 

Nahor the son of Serug was an idolator. 
But the church, ever since the time of Peleg, 
had gradually declined from the true worship 
of God, to figures, which represented the 
passions and affections. This worship finally 



Second order of the Patriarchs. 75 



obtained among the descendants of Shem, 
who like the posterity of Ham, the builders of 
Babel, and the founders of the Babylonish 
empire, worshipped the same idols. So that 
the state of things at this period was similar to 
that at the conclusion of the first patriarchal 
church ; nothing remained of the true worship 
whereby it could be known what it was in its^ 
origin in the time of Noah. So universally 
did idolatrous worship prevail throughout all 
the nations of the east, that Nahor, the im- 
mediate successor of Serug and the grandfather 
of Abraham, had joined in the idolatrous wor- 
ship, as above. They appear to have been 
swallowed in the mighty vortex, the fashion- 
able profession of that idolatrous age. 



NAMES AND AGES OF THE 
PATRIARCHS 

OF THE SECOND ORDER. 



A.M. 


Born. 


Died. 


Aged>, 


Noah . . . 


1056 


£006 


950 


Shem . « 8 


1558 


2158 


600 


Arphaxad 


1658 


2096 


438 


Salah . . a 


1693 


2126 


433 


Eber . . . 


1723 


2187 


464 


Peleg . . . 


1757 


1996 


239 


Reu . . . 


1789 


2028 


239 


Serug . . . 


1819 


2049 


230 


NAHOR e k 


1848 


1996 


148 


Terah . . . 


1878 


2083 


205 


Abraham 


2008 


2183 


175 



This ancient Noahotic church had now 
come to its final consummation. For as Nahor 
and Terah his son, the father of Abraham, only 
remained to fill up the lineal descent, they 



Covenant with Abraham. 



being idolaters, nothing can be said concern- 
ing them respecting the true church. We 
shall therefore pursue the order of the sacred 
history, which will lead us to 

THE COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM. 

The covenant which was established with 
Abraham, was not a new covenant; it had 
respect to the coming of the true Messiah, and 
was only a renewal of that which God made 
with Adam ; and renewed with Noah concern- 
ing the certainty of the fulfilment of the ancient 
promise, that the holy one should, in the ful- 
ness of time, appear in the world and redeem 
man. 

A command was given to Abraham which 
was not known in any of the former churches. 
At this period God commanded circumcision 
to be observed strictly by him and his posterity, 
but w hen they went into Egypt this rite was 
neglected, which was again commanded to be 
observed before they entered into the holy 
land. 



78 



Covenant with Abraham. 



Here again sacrificial worship was instituted 
by divine authority, which sacrifices were un- 
derstood by Abraham to point to a redeemer: 
therefore the dispensation given to Moses, 
which by way of distinction has been called 
the Mosaic dispensation } and this church the 
Jsraelitish church, was more properly the 
Abramic dispensation; for the primary com- 
mands given to Moses were only a renewal of 
those given to Abraham, and which had been 
neglected during their stay in Egypt. 

But the full display of this dispensation, wa$ 
not to be manifested for the term of 400 years, 
during which time they were to be strangers 
in a land that was not theirs. In the fourth 
generation, all things respecting this dispensa- 
tion were to be then promulgated, Gen. xv. 16. 
This was literally accomplished ; for Moses, 
who led them out of Egypt, was the fourth 
generation from Levi who went into Egypt, 
viz. Levi, Koath, Amram, Moses. In this 
generation, the laze), the commandments, the 
rites, and ceremonies, were promulgated on 
Mount Sinai, in the presence of the whole 
Hebrew nation. 



Covenant zi ith Abraham. 



79 



It is proper here to observe, that the worship 
of God was not wholly extinct at the time of 
the call of Abraham, for he was met by Mel- 
chizedek king of Salem, and priest of the most 
high God. Thus we learn that before the 
time of Moses, the patriarchal monarch was 
also a priest, Gen. iv. 3. And Melchizedek, 
Icing of Salem, brought forth the bread and 
rci/ic, and he was the priest of the most high 
God. That is, he was a priest of that order 
which had long been established for the wor- 
ship of the God of Heaven at Salem, the an- 
cient name of Jerusalem ; which, as I have 
observed in another place, is mentioned by 
David, who lefers to this church established 
by Noah, in which the priests were of a dif- 
ferent order from those of the Israelitish 
church. Psalm lxxvi. In Judah God is known 3 
his name is great i)i Israel. In Salem also is 
his tabernacle : but which should be, In Salem 
also was his tabernacle. For there was at 
that period an order of priesthood established 
among the heathen for the worship of idols, 
which we learn from scripture; those nations 



80 Covenant with Abraham. 



famous for idolatry, the Amalakites, Amonites, 
Chaldeans, &c. being then powerful nations. 

Many have supposed from what is said in 
the epistle of Paul, as it stands in the English 
translation, that this Melchizedek was Christ, 
and that there never was such a person a king 
of Salem. But this is a great error, and if 
admitted, it would make the account of Abra- 
ham's returning from the battle of the kings, 
when he was met by Melchizedek, not to be 
an account of a literal, but altogether of a 
spiritual transaction. 

In the translation the passage runs thus, 
Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the 
order of Melchizedek, for this Melchizedek 
king of Salem, priest of the most high God, 
who met Abraham returning from the slaughter 
of the kings, and blessed him, without father, 
without mother, without descent, having nei- 
ther beginning of days nor end of life, but 
made like unto the son of God, abideth a 
priest continually. Heb. 7. The passage in 



Covenant with Abraham. 81 



the original is ctTrarcjog d(XYjToop aysvsaXoyYiTO$> 
<( no father, no mother, no genealogy," that 
is, no descent from any sacerJotal family as 
the levitical priests had. This is plain from 
the following verses of the same chapter, 4. 5, 
6. Now considering how great this man was, 
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave 
the tenth of the spoils. . And verily they that 
are of the sons of Levi, zvho receive the office 
of the priesthood, have a commandment to take 
tithes of the people, according to the law. 
But he ( Melchizedek) whose descent is not 
counted from them (i. e. the sons of Levi) re- 
ceived tithes of Abraham y and blessed him. 
Beside, uysvsciXoyYjTos cannot refer to Melchi- 
zedek's having no natural genealogy, or natural 
father and mother; but the Apostle says, 
whose descent/ or register,) zvas not counted after 
the manner of the sons of Levi. For his being 
without this kind of genealogy, or descent, 
from any sacerdotal family, is mentioned as 
one instance of his resemblance to Christ, 
whose genealogy is particularly traced both 
by Matthew and Luke, who was not descended 
from a sacerdotal family, but sprang from 



82 Covenant with Abraham. 



Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing 
concerning the priesthood. Vide Parkhurst's 
Gr. Lex. This is also rendered very clear in 
the Syriac version of the Testament, which is 
one of the most ancient, and w as in use when 
Peter was at Antioch ; there it is said, whose 
father and mother were not written in their 
genealogies, viz. in the genealogies of the 
priests, for all the families of the priests, as 
well as those of other tribes, from Jacob, 
were written in their genealogies, which were 
kept in the temple. But as this method of 
registering the families by their names, and 
tribes, had its formal beginning under Moses, 
there could be* no account given of Melchize- 
dek, who lived 500 years before the commence- 
ment of the priesthood of Aran. That there 
was a priesthood established for the worship of 
the most high God, consequently a dispensa- 
tion prior to that of the Jewish, is also evi- 
dent from various parts of scripture. We read 
that when the Hebrews came out of Egypt, 
Jethro the father-in-law of Moses was a priest 
of Midian, and offered sacrifices, at which 
Moses and Aaron attended with all the elders 



Covenant with Abraham. 



83 



of Israel. Exod. xviii. 12. which proves that 
Jethro was a priest of the most high God, as 
well as Melchizedek. 

After the time of Moses, we find that this 
very ancient order was frequently adopted. 
Samuel governed Israel, who officiated in the 
priestly office. Nor was this order of Melchi- 
zedek confined to these ancient people ; it was 
also the order of the heathen nations to the 
time of Cicero, who though he filled the office 
of the greatest temporal power in the world, 
viz. the consulate ; he was also a priest. So 
it is written that Job, who lived in the time of 
Moses, and who was the king of Idumea, was 
employed also in the priestly office. Ch. i. 5.. 

We also find that the holy sacrament was 
instituted in the most ancient church before 
the establishment of the Israelijish church, 
and that bread and wine were used as sacred 
symbols ; Christ commanded the Apostles to. 
observe it when he took bread and blessed it, 
and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and 
mid, take, eat, this is my body, and he took 



84 Covenant with Abraham. 



the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, 
saying, drink ye all of it ; for this is my blood 
of the nezo Testament, which is shed for many 
for the remission of sins. 

Deists have frequently amused themselves 
by attempting to show that there was no ne- 
cessity for any thing of this nature ; and have 
concluded that if there had, water would have 
been more proper than wine, as coming pure 
from the Creator. But they should have re- 
collected that the scripture treats concerning 
the inward and spiritual state of man, that this 
state cannot be obtained without passing 
through trials, troubles, combats, and fight- 
ing within, against the sins which do most 
easily beset us; and that by this combat, a 
new life is given agreeably to the words of 
Christ, the kingdom of Heaven is within you : 
and therefore wine was commanded to be used 
as a proper type, or figure, to represent this 
new life, it having undergone a fermentation, 
altogether incomprehensible in its nature, by 
which a pure natural spirit, or vivifying power 
is generated. Therefore it was a more pro- 



Worship of the Serpent. 



85 



per subject than water, to signify the sacred 
leaven of that divine power, which w 7 orks in 
the hearts and souls of all who obey the com- 
mands of God, and endeavour to keep a con- 
science void of offence towards God and 
tozcards man. 

From which w ? e may observe, that Christ 
was not a priest after the order of Aaron, who 
was a priest oiriy descended from the tribe of 
Levi, the priesthood being confined to that 
tribe ; but he was a priest after the order of 
Melchizedek, in whose person, and in all the 
priests of that and the first patriarchal order, 
the kingly, or magisterial, and the priestly 
offices were united. 

It may be satisfactory to the reader to know 
that at the time of Abraham, 



THE WORSHIP OF THE SERPENT 



Was the worship of the Chaldeans, from 
which nation he was called to promulgate the 



86 Worship of the Serpent. 



worship of God. A serpent in the Egyptian 
language is called our; and as the language 
of Babel, or Chaldee, was the same as that 
of Egypt, Oub in the Chaldee dialect had the 
same meaning. Thus we find that Moses 
who was born in Egypt, says, Lev. xx. 27. 
A man also, or a woman that hath a ( Oub,) 
familiar spirit^ or that is a wizard. Here 
the translators have rendered the word Oub, by 
familiar spirit, but which should have been, 
translated by serpent. Ch. xx. 6. And the 
soul that turneth after such as have familiar 
spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring 
after them ; or who go worshipping after them,, 
a term used to signify a departure from the 
worship of God, in allusion to departing from, 
virtue to vice, but which in the original He- 
brew is, And the soul that turneth after such 
as have (Oboth) female serpents, Deutv. 
xviii. 1 1. Or a charmer, or a consulter with 
familiar spirits. In Hebrew, the noun is sin- 
gular, viz. or a consulter with (Ob) a serpent, 
1st Sam. xxviii. 3. And Saul had put away, 
those that had familiar spirits. In the He- 
brew, And Saul had put away those that had 



Worship of the Serpent, 



87 



(Oboth) FEMALE SERPENTS. NeY.l.Alld 

Saul said unto his servants, seek me a woman 
thai hath a familiar spirit. In Hebrew, that 
hath (Ob) a serpent. Ver. 9. how he hath 
cut off those that have familiar spirits. In the 
original, that have (Oboth) female ser- 
pents. 2nd Kings, xxi. 6. and dealt with 
familiar spirits. In Hebrew, and dealt zmih 
(Ob) a serpent, in the singular. Ch. xxiii. 
24. Moreover, the workers with familiar spi- 
rits, and the wizards, and the idols. In He- 
brew, moreover, (Oboth) ///^female ser- 
pents, and the wizards, and the images, 
and the idols. 2nd Chron. xxxiii. 6. and 
dealt with a familiar spirit. In Hebrew, and 
dealt with (Ob) a serpent. 

The apocryphal scriptures are in conformity 
with the above, for in the narrative which is 
given concerning the destruction of the idol 
Bel and the Dragon, or as it should be rendered, 
Bel's Dragon, or, Bets Serpent, by Daniel : 
we have a satisfactory account of his being cast 
into the den of lions. Daniel had convinced the 
king that the worship of this creature was in- 



88 Worship of the Serpent. 



consistent with reason and that he was imposed 
on by the priests of this serpent temple, and un- 
dertook to destroy this serpent god. This being 
accomplished, the people finding that their 
religion was in danger of being destroyed, 
demanded Daniel, and the king delivered him 
to them in order to appease them, and he was 
cast into the den of lions. That this was the 
principal cause will appear, if we attend to 
the book of Daniel, for we find there that 
idolatry was at this time abolished. Never- 
theless the circumstance of his being cast in- 
to the den, and the abolition of the worship 
of idols is assigned to another cause, viz. he 
worshipped God, and refused to obey the im- 
pious decree of the idolatrous Babylonians. 
But it is remarkable that both these causes, 
viz. the destruction of the Dragon Serpent, 
and the non-compliance of Daniel, are said to 
be at the same jperiod of the history. It is 
reasonable to conclude that the lords of Baby- 
lon, who themselves had been accustomed to 
all that pomp and splendor, which was dis- 
played in their idol worship, to which they had 
been brought up from their infancy, were par- 



Worship of the Serpent. 89 



tial to it, and seeing the effect also that the * 
destruction of their idols had on the supersti- 
tious Chaldeans, craftily prevailed on the king 
to sign a decree that, whoever should ask a 
petition of any god, or man, save of the king for 
thirty days, should he cast into the den of lions , 
Dan. vi. 7- 8. By this they knew that they 
should entrap Daniel, be revenged on him for 
the insult offered to the religion of their fa- 
thers ; and thus also appease the rage of the 
people. Such is the nature of bigotry, for 
the spirit of bigotry is a vindictive spirit. 

In the time of the kings of Israel, the wor- 
ship of the Serpent, which was then the polite 
worship of the eastern nations, was observed 
among them, 2nd Kings, xvii. 4. He removed 
the high places, and brake the images, and cut 
doKn the groves; and brake in pieces the 
brazen serpent that Moses had 1 made, for 
unto those days the children of Israel did burn 
incense unto it. So that we find, this worship 
of the Egyptian Oub, or Serpent, was general 
BOO years after the time of Moses ; the very 
ferpent he had set up in the wilderness having 



90 Worship of the Serpent. 



been preserved among them, to which they 
burnt incense. 

.Among the idolatrous nations, who descend- 
ed from Ham, and who inhabited the princi- 
pal countries of the east, the serpent was 
universally worshipped. In the history of the 
degradation of man, as recorded in Scripture, 
who undignified his nature by bowing to stocks, 
stones, and inanimate things ; there does not 
appear to be any species of idolatry so ancient 
as that of the serpent; and which was, (no 
doubt) the most prevailing worship of the ante- 
diluvian world. We have an account of no 
more than eight persons, who were saved in 
the ark, one of whom began the abomination 
of the old w orld by introducing this worship 
instead of that of the living God. 

To some it may appear wonderful that the 
serpent, an animal so disgusting above all 
others, should become an object of adoration. 
But such persons will do well to remember 
that things of this nature are not done at once, 
but by little and little. The history of the 



Worship of the Serpent. 



91 



subtilty of the serpent in Paradise was pre- 
served by the posterity of Adam, and in pro- 
cess of time by way of visible representation, 
the figure was placed in their temples to re- 
mind them of the certainty of this transaction, 
and at length became the object of their ador- 
ation. For this reason it was that the Israelites 
were commanded to destroy their altars, cut 
dozen their groves, and to bum their graven 
images with fire. 

But when the Israelites were led by Moses 
through the wilderness, when the brazen ser- 
pent was set up by which they were cured, the 
fame thereof spread to the distant nations 
of the eastern world like a flood; it was a 
confirmation to them that it possessed a virtue 
above every other creature. 

Nothing was grand or dignified without the 
serpent, it became an idol, was placed among 
the constellations, and they paid it divine 
honors. This was the original cause in after- 
time of that universal veneration for the ser- 
pent ; it crept into every corner of the east, and 



92 Worship of the Serpent. 



the religion of the heathen nations swarmed 
with serpents. 

The allegory of the ancient Mercury ap- 
pears to have had its rise from the serpent* 
He was represented with a caduceus, around 
which were two serpents 5 he had also wings 
at his head. 

I have frequently remarked that this species 
of idolatry in its origin did not consist in the un- 
meaning adoration of the image, or figure, but 
was introduced to represent the passions and 
affections in man ; such was the principle of 
circumspection, subtilty, or prudence of the 
sensual principle. For which qualities it was 
then, and is allowed now by the best writers 
on those subjects, to be more famous than 
any other animal : and therefore a more proper 
subject could not have been chosen in out- 
ward nature to represent those qualities in man. 
This was the custom of the first race of men, 
as is obvious from the scriptures, where we 
find that clean and unclean beasts, are intro- 
duced by the inspired writers, to signify the 



Worship of the Serpent. 93 



pure, and impure affections ; agreeing with 
the natural propensities of the animals men- 
tioned. Thus as the serpent among the 
primaeval people, signified in a good sense the 
principle of circumspection, or prudence, to 
watch over the appearance of evil ; so in an 
opposite sense it also was meant by them to 
represent the subtilty of the sensual principle 
in those, who were perpetually watching to 
commit evil, by the gratification of that passion 
to the injury of others ; for perpetual watch- 
ing is a peculiar property of this creature. 
Hence they understood by the wings at the 
head of the ancient Mercury, the affections, 
which are best signified by wings, the head 
being the seat of the affections, and wings were 
used as descriptive of the swiftness, with which 
the mind flies to the object of its affection. 
By the serpents around the caduceus, the 
5ensual principle, and by the caduceus or rod, 
in the hand of the image, a rod being the an- 
cient emblem of power, they meant that power 
which man ought to acquire, that he might bring 
the sensual j rinciple into due order, so as to 
govern himself according to the precepts of 



94 



The Patriarch Isaac. 



the scripture. So that the evil did not consist 
in figuratively interpreting these things ; but 
by confining their views to that visible per- 
sonification, which led them to look on them 
only externally, instead of viewing them, as 
representing the conquest of passions and evil 
propensities in themselves. Thus at length 
these visible representations became so familiar, 
and the indulgence of their vices so agreeable, 
that they contented themselves with formal 
outside worship, and adored the idol only. 



THE PATRIARCH ISAAC, 

According to the law of primogeniture, was 
the appointed branch, from whom the promised 
Messiah was to come : therefore it is said, 
cast out this bond woman and her son, for the 
son of this bond woman shall not be heir with 
my son, even with Isaac. Agreeable to 



The Patriarch Isaac. 



95 



ancient custom, the bond son, who is one not 
born in lawful wedlock, had no right to inherit, 
as is the case at this day in all civilised 
nations. 

Some deistical writers have thought that 
there was a degree of cruelty in the conduct of 
Abraham towards Hagar, when he thus com- 
plied with the request of Sarah. But this was 
nothing more than what is lawful and right in 
the present day. lshmael was not a child, he 
was at this time fourteen years old ; neither 
does it appear that either Hagar, or lshmael, 
were neglected by Abraham. It is said of 
lshmael, he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, 
and his mother took him a wife out of the land 
of Egypt, that was of the lineage of Hagar, 
who was an Egyptian. Now as Abraham was 
a shepherd king, and the richest man in all the 
east, there can be no doubt but that he pro- 
vided sufficiently for his son Ishma^L This 
w ill appear evident if we turn to the 25th chap- 
ter of Genesis, where we find that though 
Abraham had six sons besides lshmael and 
Isaac, yet these two only were present and 



96 The Patriarch Isaac. 



performed the chief rite at the burial of their 
father, ver. 9th. and his sons Isaac and Ish- 
mael buried him. In the 13th and following 
verses, the sons of Ishmael, twelve in number, 
are said to be princes of the country : These 
are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their 
names, by their tozcns, and by their castles, 
twelve princes according to their nations, 
which could not have been the case had they 
not received great riches from Abraham. 

Ishmael having given countenance to the 
idolatry of Canaan, by marrying the daughter 
of an idolator, Abraham to prevent any thing 
of this nature happening to his son Isaac, de- 
termined to take him a wife of his ow n kindred, 
who had not joined the gross idolatry of the age. 
He accordingly commissioned his confidential 
servant to go on that business, saying, thou 
shalt not take a wife unto my son of the 
daughters of the Canaanites among whom I 
dwell, but thou shalt go unto my country, and 
to my kindred and take a wife unto my son 
Isaac. . This being done, the dispensation 
which God had deigned to give to Abraham, 



Esau and Jacob. 97 



was delivered to Isaac, who in process of time 
had two sons, 



ESAU AND JACOB. 

Esau, according to custom and the law of 
the land, being the first-born, was to have 
succeeded his father Isaac, as the visible head 
of the true church. Therefore it is necessary 
to ascertain what was the real cause of the re- 
jection of Esau from the government of church 
and state. 

Deists have said, because we read, Mai. i, 
2. 3. I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, that 
Esau could not be blamed if this were true, 
and thus they have endeavoured to represent 
the scriptures as inconsistent with the philan- 
thropy, w hich must necessarily be exercised 
by the divine being. But there appears to be 
sufficient reason., even as the narrative stands 
in the translation, why Esau was rejected. 
It is said, that Esau took to wife Judith the 



98 



Esau and Jacob. 



daughter of Beeri, the Hittite, and Bashe- 
math the daughter of Eton, the Hittite, which 
were a grief of mind unto Isaac and Iiebekah. 
And in the 28th chap. ver. 8. 9. And Esau 
seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased 
not Isaac his father, then went Esau unto 
Iskmael, and took Mahalath the daughter of 
Ishmael, Abraham's son, to be his wife. Thus 
we find that Esau preferred the idolatry of the 
land, as Ishmael had clone, to the worship of 
God as it was delivered to them by Abraham. 

It appears then that Esau approved of the 
idolatrous worship of the Canaanites, which 
was the real cause of his being rejected from 
the primogeniture ; and he confirmed this by 
the rejection of his birth-right in the contract 
he made with Jacob. But in order to form a 
right conclusion respecting this matter, for it 
seems a trivial thing to give as a consideration 
for so valuable a privilege, only a mess of pot- 
tage, it is necessary to attend to the whole 
narrative. 

Isaac now drew near to the verge of the 



Esau and Jacob. 



99 



grave, and according to the nature of the dis- 
pensation given to Abraham, the communica- 
tion of a divine authority was given to him, 
who was to be considered as the visible head of 
the true church of God, in order to promul- 
gate the certain accomplishment of the ancient 
promise concerning the coming of the Messiah; 
which was to be communicated by sacrifice 
and blessing : as typical of him the great sacri- 
fice, who was to bless man by redemption. 
Accordingly we read in the 7th and 9th verses 
of the 27th chapter. Bring me venison, and 
make me savory meat, that I may eat and 
bless thee before the Lord before my death. 
Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence 
tico kids of the goats. We have found that 
sacrificial worship was to be observed by Abra- 
ham and his successors, and that nothing was 
acceptable to God without a sacrifice. We 
find also that this blessing was not to be in 
the common way of blessing, but it is dignified 
wilh the appellation of blessing before the 
Lord. By which phrase in scripture is always 
understood before the altar of the Lord, where 
lie condescended to receive the sacrifice; other- 



100 



Esau and Jacob. 



wise it would have been improper to have said, 
before the Lord. For as it is understood accord- 
ing to the common acceptation of the words, 
they were before the Lord in every action of 
their lives. Therefore it must appear that 
this was a sacrificial repast before the altar of 
the Lord, emphatically termed in Hebrew, 
before the face of the Lord, which was more 
immediately so, as there he deigned to com- 
mime with man. See 1st Kings, xiii. 6. Intreat 
now the face of the Lord thy God, that 
my hand may be restored me again. From 
w hich we are authorised to conclude, that the 
blessing of Isaac consisted in committing the 
great charge he had received from Abraham 
concerning the sacrificial worship, which w as 
a manifestation of their faith that the Messiah 
would come and redeem man, at whose com- 
ing the sacrifices, and ceremonies were to cease 
forever. 

That this preparation was for a sacrifice of 
this nature will appear, if we attend to the nar- 
rative and the custom on these occasions as 
recorded in the scripture. The above passage. 



Esau and Jacob. 10 i 



go to the fiock and fetch me two kids of the 
<*oats. evidently refers to the sacrificial wor- 
ship, agreeably to the dispensation given to 
Abraham, and that these two kids were male 
and female, or where was the necessity for kill- 
ing two kids ? which order was also observed 
in the Israelitish church. Exockxxv. 18. Thou 
shah make two cherubim* in the two ends of 
the mercy-seat. The word cherubim is the 
Hebrew word, the pronunciation of which is 
retained in the European languages ; it means, 
a likeness of the Divine Majesty ; for as God 
created man and woman, a likeness of himself, 
Gen. i. 26. so when our first parents fell from 
this state of perfection, he appointed the two 
cherubim, as representative of the male and^e- 
male ; to remind them, not only of the state 
in which they were created ; but also that by 
obeying his commands, which they were to re- 
ceive from the mercy-seat between the cheru- 
bim, to which there was no approaching but 
by sacrifice : they were taught that they might 
regain that state of happiness in which they 
were created. The same is signified, Exod. 
xxviii. 9. 12. concerning the two Onyx stones, 



102 



Esau and Jacob. 



on which were engraven the names of the 
twelve tribes of the Hebrews, and which were 
to be put upon the Ephod on the shoulder of 
Aaron, who w as to bear them before the Lord. 
This plainly refers to the Messiah who was to 
bear the sins of the people, male and female, 
of whom it is said, and the government shall 
be upon his shoulder. Again, Exod. mm* 38. 
Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the 
altar ; two lambs of the first year. Lev. xvi. 5. 
two kids of the goats for a sin offering. Ver. 7. 
and he shall take the tzvo goats and present them 
bef ore the Lord. It is also proper to remark 
that as wine w as used in the most ancient times 
before Abraham, in the true worship of God as 
a divine symbol ; so accordingly we find, that 
at this sacrifice it is written, and he brought 
him wine and he drank. Thus we learn that 
this request of Isaac, w ho was then near the 
time of his death, was not to gratify his palate 
by eating, as Deists have frequently represent- 
ed, but it was a solemn sacrifice, for a sin 
offering, as a representative of our great and 
eternal sacrifice, who came to offer up himself 
the just for the unjust. 



Esau and Jacob. 



103 



Some have thought that the great distress 
Esau was in because Isaac had given the bless- 
ing to Jacob, was occasioned from a fear of 
his being deprived of the property of his father 
at his death. But this was not the case, for 
he is informed in the same words as were spo- 
ken to Jacob when Isaac blessed him, that his 
dwelling should be the fatness of the earth, and 
the dew of heaven. This in the letter refers to 
an equal participation of the property ; there- 
fore so far the blessing of Jacob, and the 
blessing of Esau, as to things of a temporal 
nature, were equal. This appears evident at 
the death of Isaac, Esau succeeded to his por- 
tion of the property of his father, which was 
great. For after he and Jacob had buried their 
father, he took all that he had in the land of 
Canaan and went unto mount Seir, where he 
w as received as a prince, his sons as princes j 
his grandsons as Dukes : Gen. xxxvi. 15. and 
finally his descendants became sovereigns of the 
land of Edom. So that it is neither consistent 
with reason nor scripture to suppose that Esau, 
concerning whom it is said, his riches were 
great, should be distressed for a simple mess 



104 



Esau and Jacob. 



of pottage, when his wives, his sons, and his 
daughters, and all the persons of his house, 
Gen. xxxvi. 6. were living in plenty, and who 
were the richest people of the land. 

Now as Esau was not a believer in the com- 
ing of the promised Messiah, he having, con- 
trary to the divine command, made a league 
with the idolatrous people of the land, and had 
joined himself to them in the worship of their 
idols ; he had no faith in the coming of the 
Messiah from him; he esteemed this birth-right 
of no more value than a mess of pottage, a cus- 
tomary phrase in Hebrew for any thing that was 
considered in a contemptuous light, as being 
of little or no account. Therefore the great 
distress that Esau was in, because Isaac had 
given the blessing to Jacob, could not arise 
from supposing that he had lost the privi- 
lege of the Messiah's coming in his line. 
There is one subject mentioned by the sa- 
cred writer which appears to have been the 
real cause of his distress. We have seen 
that the birth-right, which the patriarchs 
Isaac and Jacob had in view, was the commu- 



Esau and Jacob, 105 



nication of the certainty of the coming of the 
Messiah, and the establishment of the visible 
head of the church, which was already under- 
stood by a solemn oath to have devolved on 
Jacob, because he was a worshipper of the 
true God. But the birth-right to which the 
idolator Esau directed his attention, was that 
of temporal power and riches only, which ac- 
cording to the order of that dispensation, were 
to descend by solemn ratification, by the first- 
born son ; and this seems to have been the in- 
tention of Isaac when he called Esau. This 
in the 27th chap. ver. 36. is called by Esau, 
my birth-right* 

From the most ancient times before Abra- 
ham, we find that the ruling patriarchs had the 
privilege of confirming temporal power to be 
exercised by their successors, and this was the 
blessing which was given by Isaac to Jacob 
and his posterity. Gen. xxvii. 29- Let people 
serve thee, and nations bow dozen to thee ; he 
lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's 
sons bow dorm to thee ; and it shall come to 
pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that 
thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck. 



106 



Esau and Jacob. 



This was the reason why it was said, and Esau 
hated Jacob. All this was literally accom- 
plished, for the descendants of Jacob subdued 
the descendants of Esau ; but when the de- 
scendants of Esau got the dominion, which 
was when they became kings of Edom ; they 
threw the yoke from off their neck, agreeably 
to the words of the patriarch Isaac in his bless- 
ing to Esau, 

Thus we find that the distress of Esau arose 
from the circumstance of his father Jacob 
having solemnly, by an offering before the Lord, 
confirmed the temporal power on Jacob and 
his posterity, which from the most ancient 
church to the time of Abraham, and which 
from him by divine appointment, was given to 
the supreme patriarchal king, or head, of the 
true worship of God. For he was ranked as a 
patriarchal prince by the king of the country 
when he went into Egypt. Gen. xxvi. 16. And 
Abimelech said unto Isaac, go from us : for 
thou art much mightier than we. 

Thus are we enabled to make a proper dis- 
tinction between the birth-right of Esau, and 



Esau and Jacob. 



1Q7 



the blessing of Jacob ; and to account for the 
distress of the first-born of Tsaac, who had 
solemnly renounced the right of primogeniture, 
as it respected the coming of the Messiah 
from him. He looked only for temporal power 
which had, contrary to his expectation, and 
even the intention of Isaac, been confirmed by 
sacrifice on Jacob, from whom the Messiah 
was to descend in the believing line, in which 
the true worship of God was preserved. This 
also appears from the original words, Ish taam, 
which are translated, a plain man ; but these 
words literally translated read thus, a man of 
perfection, alluding to the true worship of 
God, which was perfect worship, in contra- 
distinction to that of idols, to which Esau was 
attached. The septuagint render the Hebrew 
nearer to its true meaning by ccttXckttos, without 
guile : thus they apply the original words, to 
the man, but the Hebrew refers to the per- 
fection of the true worship of God, instead of 
referring to Jacob. From which it must ap- 
pear, that as Jacob believed in the fulfilment 
of the promise, that the Messiah should come 
to redeem man, this was the reason why it is 
said, I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau* 



THE PATRIARCH JACOB 



Now became the visible head of the true 
church of God, and the sacred writings of the 
ancient churches remained with him, such as 
the book of the tears of Jehovah, the book of 
Jashur, and others mentioned by the vener- 
able penman Moses. Jacob, together with 
his twelve sons, left the land of Canaan, and 
took up their abode in Egypt, where they dwelt 
until by a divine power they were delivered 
and restored to their own land. 

But an objection has often been made by' 
Deists to this part of scripture, viz. when the 
promise was made to Abraham, we read ; 
Knot® of a surety that thy seed shall be a 
stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall 
serve them, and they shall afflict them, four 
hundred years. But in the fourth generation 
they shall come hither again ; but it appears 
that they were only two hundred and fifteen 
years in the land of Egypt, 



The Patriarch Jacob. 109 



It is not strange that Deists have objected 
to this, when many commentators have given 
different statements respecting it. If however 
we add the years of Koath, Amram, and Moses, 
it will show that they could not have been in 
Egypt four hundred years. Koath the son of 
Levi who was then a child, went with his fa- 
ther into Egypt, and died aged 133 years ; his 
son Amram the father of Moses, lived 137 
years; and Moses who was eighty years old 
when he led the Hebrews out of Egypt, being 
all put together make no more than 350 years. 
Out of these we must subtract those which 
Koath had attained, the years that Amram 
lived with his father Koath, and the years that 
Moses lived with Amram, which would re- 
duce the number 3.50, to 215 years, the time 
they lived in Egypt. 

Paul reckons, from the first promise made 
to Abraham, to the promulgation of the law in 
the first year of the Exodus, 430years, of which 
215 were expired when they went into Egypt, 
which are computed from the time of Abra- 
ham's arrival in Canaan, viz. twenty-five years 



110 Third order of the Patriarchs. 



from the time of the promise to the birth of 
Isaac, sixty years to the birth of Jacob, Gen. 
xxv. 26. who was 130 when he stood before 
Pharoah, xlvii. 9- all which make 215 years 
of their sojourning in Canaan before they went 
into Egypt. From this which is the scripture 
statement, it appears that they were exactly 
£15 years in Egypt. 



NAMES AND AGES OF THE 
PATRIARCHS 

OF THE THIRD ORDER. 



A.M. 


Born. 


Died. 


Aged. 


Abraham 


2308 


2183 


175 


Isaac . * . 


2108 


2288 


180 


Jacob , . . 


2168 


2315 


147 


Levi . . • 


2255 


2392 


137 


Moses « . 


2433 


2553 


120 



Worship of the ancient Grecians. 1 1 1 



Thus Moses was the last of the patriarchs : 
he was the son of Amram, born in Egypt 
during their persecution. Amram was the 
grandson of Levi, who had lived upwards of 
thirty years with Isaac, so that he had received 
all his information, as well as the sacred writ- 
ings from the patriarchs. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT GRE- 
CIANS 

Has been said by some writers to have de- 
scended from the Egyptians, Babylonians, 
and Arabians. But it does not appear that 
we can, with any degree of certainty, trace the 
Grecian mythology so far back as the time of 
Moses. We have authority however for con- 
cluding that their altars were first sprinkled 
w ith the waters of Canaan, after the Hebrews 
had returned from Egypt. 



112 Worship of the ancient Grecians, 



We certainly are not authorised to charge 
the most ancient Greeks with polytheism, or 
with worshipping a plurality of Gods. It ap- 
pears from all their writers that they acknow- 
ledged one God only, the maker and preserver 
of the world. Homer describes the gods at 
one time as asleep on their couches, — 

" All but the ever-wakeful eye of Jove." 

Pythagoras says, C( God is one, and all in all, 
the light of all powers, the beginning of all 
things, the torch of heaven. Father, life, 
mind, and motion of the universe." Empe- 
docles, "From this one entity proceed all 
things that have been, are, and shall be." 
The same Bible truth was supported by Far- 
menides, Thales, Anaxagoras, and others of 
that age. Socrates was put to death for as- 
serting the unity of God; and Plato observes, 
" God is that entity, which hath being in him- 
self, the beginning, middle, and end of all 
things." J amblicus, " God is sufficient in him- 
self, goodness itself, the fountain, and root of 
all things, intelligent, and intelligible." Pro- 



Worship of the ancient Grecians. MS 



clus, " King of all things, the only God, who 
produceth all things of himself, the end of 
ends, and first cause of all operations." Sim- 
plicius, "from him proceeds all light, all 
truths from the divine truth, the beginning of all 
beginnings, the source and origin of all good- 
ness, the cause of causes, God of Gods." 
Plotinus, the Platonist, and Porphyry his suc- 
cessor, with the rest of that sect, write to the 
same effect. 

The unity of God was also asserted by the 
Stoics. Epictetus says, "There is but one 
God, the governor of all things, who is not 
ignorant of our works, words, and thoughts." 
This great truth was acknowledged by all the 
ancient Greek theologians. Chrysippus, ac- 
cording to Plutarch, says, "there cannot be 
any other beginning but from Jupiter, who is 
the nature, and providence of all things." 
Also Aristotle and his followers acknowledge 
" an infinite and eternal mover, the cause of 
causes, the Father of the Gods and men, the 
preserver of the world/' Orpheus says* 



114 Worship of the ancient Grecians. 



i{ The .great King is seated in Heaven, he is 
invisible, yet seeth all things." 

All the writers I have seen, agree in stating 
them to have had one supreme, and eleven 
subordinate gods, viz. Jupiter, Saturn, Bac- 
chus, Apollo, Mars, Minerva, Diana, Juno, 
Venus, Ceres, Mercury, and Vulcan. These 
in after-ages, or at the time of Homer, about 
1000 years before Christ, appear to have been 
worshipped by them. The truth is, they were 
neighbours to the Hebrews, and heard how 
the twelve tribes were delivered, and by what 
mighty power they conquered the land of Ca- 
naan ; which was, no doubt, the reason why 
they committed this number to the pages of 
their mythology ; and which in after-ages were 
personified, applied to their principal leaders, 
and worshipped. 

Jupiter was their principal god ; to him they, 
attributed the origin of the w orld ; even in the 
time of Homer they styled him, " the father 
of the gods and men." The Word Jupiter is 



Worship of the ancient Grecians, l lA 



a compound word from Jao, so called by 
Diodorus, from Jehovah, and pater, father, 
i. e. Jehovah the Father. They believed that 
he alone possessed the attributes of omnisci- 
ence, OMNIPRESENCE, and OMNIPO- 
TENCE; and represented him as descending 
on, and shaking the mountain Olympus, when 
he threatened his rebellious offspring with 
destruction. But this is taken from the awful 
and majestic descent of God on mount Sinai, 
which they likened to the mountain Olympus. 
This circumstance, when their descendants fell 
into idolatry, was believed to have taken place 
on this mountain : hence they called him 
Jupiter Olympus, or the Olympian 
Jupiter, in imitation of the descent of God 
on Sinai. Thus have the law-givers in differ- 
ent nations, who wished to make their laws 
revered, pretended to have received them from 
some god, or goddess, as Numa from Ege- 
jtiA ; Zaleucus from Minerva; Lycurgus 
from Apollo ; and Minos from Jupiter. 

Thus did the history of the twelve tribes of 
the Hebrews, lay the foundation of twelve 



1 16 Worship of the ancient Grecians. 



sects among the Greeks, each sect having their 
idol. And when these are compared with 
scriptWe, we shall find that the things related 
concerning them perfectly agree. 

Saturn is said to have devoured his own 
children, and sacrificed infants, This is taken 
from the Bible, where Moses cuts off his own 
children from succeeding to the government of 
the Hebrews ; and where the children of the 
Midianites are stated to have been put to 
death by him. 

Apollo was famous among them. They 
built a most magnificent temple at Del- 
phos, and dedicated it to him. In his hand 
he held a golden bow, mentioned by the Greek 
poets, 

" He from his golden bow," 
which was taken from the scripture in the nar- 
rative after the flood, viz. / do set my bow in 
the cloud. 

It is said in the Mythology that "Bacchus 
dried up the rivers Orontes and Hydaspes, by 



Worship of the ancient Grecians. 117 



striking them with his Thyrsus, and passed over 
them :" Moses divided the red sea and the 
river Jordan with his rod, and passed through 
them. That an ivy stick thrown on the ground 
by Bacchus crept like a dragon : so by the 
command of Moses, the rod of Aaron was cast 
down, which became a serpent. That the 
enemies of Bacchus once were all covered 
with darkness, while those who were with him 
enjoyed perfect day : the same is recorded 
concerning Moses. A dog was given to Bac- 
chus as a constant companion. So Moses had 
his Caleb, which, in Hebrew, signifies a dog. 
Pausanias 1 relates that the Greeks found at 
Troy an ark, which was sacred to Bacchus. 
The ark was one of the most sacred symbols 
given to Moses. 

Bacchus, in the Mythology, is said to have 
been born in Egypt, put into an ark, and exposed 
to the waters : the same is recorded of Moses. 
Bacchus is said to have had two mothers : so 
had Moses, his own mother, and the daughter 



1 Eurip. in Bacchus. 



118 Worship of the ancient Grecians. 



of Pharoah. The flight of Bacchus was to- 
ward the red sea : so was the flight of Moses. 
One of the symbols in the theology of Bacchus, 
was a serpent : Moses set up the brazen ser- 
pent in the wilderness. Bacchus had great 
numbers of women in his army ; as Moses had 
in his journey to Canaan. It is further said in 
the mythology, that wherever Bacchus went, 
the land flowed with milk and honey : the 
same is recorded in the Bible of the land of 
Canaan. 

Moses was instructed in mount Sinai re- 
specting the rites and sacrifices of the Jewish 
worship : the same is said of Bacchus by Ovid. 
Bacchus was instructed in the highest wisdom 
in a mount of Arabia called JSissi: Moses 
resided there forty years, and erected an altar 
which he called Jehovah Nissi, Exod. xvii. 15. 
From all which it appears evident that the 
true Bacchus was Moses. 

In the mythology it is also said, that Mer- 
cury was born in Egypt ; that he was the 
secretary of Bacchus, and the messenger of 



W orship of the ancient Grecians, 119 



the gods, and that with his caduceus or rod, 
around which were two serpents, he could per- 
form wonderful things. But it is plain by 
comparing these things with the facts recorded 
in the Bible, that the true Mercury w as Aaron, 
for Aaron was born in Egypt, and was the mes- 
senger from God and Moses to Pharoah. The 
caduceus or rod, around which were two ser- 
pents, is in perfect agreement with the rod 
which was cast down before Pharoah ; and 
which with the rod of the Magicians produced 
two serpents : but the serpent of Moses swal- 
lowed the other serpent rod of Jannes and 
Jambres, the magicians who opposed Moses, 
and this was the origin of the tW'O serpents 
twisted round the rod of the heathen Mercury. 

Hercules is said to have fought against 
Typhoeus, and the rest of the giants by the 
command of the gods : so it is written that 
Joshua fought by the command of God against 
the Canaanites, men of great stature, the sons 
of Anak. It is further said in the mythology, 
that while Hercules was fighting he was as- 
sisted by Jupiter, who rained hailstones which 



120 Worship of the ancient Grecians. 



destroyed great numbers of them : the same is 
recorded in the book of Joshua,, the Lord cast 
down great stones from Heaven upon them 
vnto Azekah, and they died. That the giant 
Typhoeus mentioned in the Grecian mythology, 
and by their poets, was Og the king of Bashan, 
appears from unquestionable authority. This 
word in Greek, (the language in which the 
Heathens wrote their mythology) signifies, to 
kindle or smoke, and has the same meaning 
with the Hebrew word Og, to bake, to bum 
so that Typhosus, and Og, in both languages 
are the same. That Ti/phmns, and Og were 
only different names for the same person, will 
appear from Homer, who speaking of Jupiter's 
striking down the giant Typhoeus with hi§ 
thunder, informs us that the chief of the giants 
had his bed in Aremis. 

" In Aremea Typho's bed remains." Iliad* 

That Aremea, where Homer says, " the 
giant's bed remains," was the same as Syria, 
is certain. Strabo 1 says, "Jby the Aremea, they 



1 Strabo, lib. 13., 



Worship of the ancient Grecians, J21 



understand the Syrians/' This name, as is ob- 
served above, instead of Syria, has been con- 
tinued in the English translation of the Bible 
to the time of Elizabeth, where Syria is called 
Aram, and the Syrians, Aramites. The bed 
of Typheus therefore being said by Homer to 
be in Aremea, or Syria, is in perfect agree- 
ment with the account we have of the bed of 
Og, Deut. iii. 1 1 . For only Og king of Ba- 
shan remained of the remnant of the giants : 
behold his bedstead was a bedstead of Iron. 
I Is it not in Rabbath of the children ofAmmon? 
which was Aram, or Syria, as above. 
Hence it appears evident, that the true Hercu- 
les was Joshua, and (as was observed) when 
Homer sung the war of the giants with the 
gods, he borrowed the account of the asto- 
nishing transactions of the Hebrew leader in 
the land of Canaan, to add majesty and dignity 
to the pages of the immortal Iliad. 

It is also said in the mythology, that u Her- 
cules and Bacchus made an expedition to India 
but as we know nothing concerning such an 
expedition being made by Moses and Joshiaa, 
xp that part of the world which we call India; 

VOL. i. f 



1% C 2 Worship of the ancient Grecians. 



this seems to set aside all that has been said 
to prove that the ancient Hercules and Bac- 
chus were Joshua and Moses. We shall 
however easily get over this difficulty, by prov- 
ing that the land of Canaan was anciently called 
India. 

Vossius 1 says, " the ancients called all parts 
eastward of the Mediterranean sea India." 
This also appears from Ovid/ 1 who says, " Per- 
seus brought Andromeda from India." But 
Perseus did not bring his wife Andromeda 
from modern India, but from Joppa, a town 
in the land of Canaan, according to Strabo. 1 
Therefore it is evident that the expedition which 
Hercules and Bacchus are said to have made 
to India, will perfectly agree with the expe- 
dition of Moses and Joshua to the land of 
Canaan. All these things prove to a demon- 
stration, that the characters of the heathen 
gods j (so called) as well as "the materials for 
framing the mytV^ogy, were taken by the 
compilers of, the religion of the Greeks, from 
the anciejrit pages of the Bible. 

J £ Vossius de Idolat. lib. i. c. 26. a Ovid de arte Amandi, 
3 Strabo, lib. i. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT ROMANS 

Was in its origin much the same as that of 
the ancient Grecians ; for they believed that 
Jupiter, i.e. Jao-pater, or Jehovah the Father, 
(as above) was the supreme of all the gods. 
Like the Greeks, to him they assigned all the 
attributes of the God of Heaven ; but to their 
subordinate gods, or rulers, they assigned a 
dominion only over certain things. Juno,, over 
plenty, and riches; Venus, beauty; Minerva, 
zcisdom ; Vesta, the earth ; Ceres, corn ; 
Diana, hunting; Mars, war; Mercury, elo- 
quence; Vulcan, fire; Apollo, physic; Nep- 
tune, the sea; Janus, husbandry; Bacchus, 
wine; and Saturn, time. These were their 
subordinate gods, or governors, for this word 
was originally given to men among the Romans, 
as Elhoim was among the Hebrews. 



These subordinate gods, in their origin, 
were only men who had the government, or 



1£4 Worship of the ancient Romans. 



chief management of all those departments of 
the state, signified by the name so given. Thus 
they would call among us, a secretary at war, 
Mars; the lord chancellor being at the head 
of the department for eloquence, Mercury ; 
the first lord of the admiralty, Neptune, 
who assumes the dominion of the sea ; the 
president of the college of physic, Apollo; 
the president of the board of agriculture, Ja- 
nus, because he is presumed to attend parti- 
cularly to the encouragement of husbandry ; 
and at the beginning of the year, being de- 
scribed with two faces, with one face on the 
first of Janu-ary, which comes from Janus, 
he looked forward to the new year, while at 
the same time he looked back with the other 
face at the errors or good management of the 
agriculture of the old year; therefore they 
symbolically prefigured him with a second face 
at the back of the head. 

The ranger of the forests, Diana; the 
board of commissioners for the land-tax, Ves- 
ta; the primate of England, Minerva, 
i.e. wisdom, because he is at the head of the ec- 



Worship of the ancient Romans. \<25 



clesiastical department, for the regulation of the 
whole, and the promulgation of religion, which 
must be allowed to teach the only true zcisdom* 
The society for the suppression of vice, Ve- 
nus, because among the wise ancients, virtue 
only was considered to constitute true beauty. 
The manager of the corn department, Cekes ; 
the commissioner to regulate the importation 
of wines, and the regulator of the vineyards 
in countries where the vintage is produced, 
Bacchus; the head of the department for 
riches, or the first lord of the treasury, Juno ; 
the army by which the whole order is defended, 
Vulcan, because by fire, arms for the de- 
fence of the country are forged ; and time, 
Saturn, because by time all these things 
were brought to perfection. 

It appears sufficiently evident that the sacri- 
ficial worship of the Hebrews was in a great 
measure adopted by the ancient Romans. In 
their mythology, a bull was the proper sacrifice 
to Jupiter; the same animal was appointed in 
the sacrifice for a peace-offering to God, Exod. 
xxix. 1. Shur, in Hebrew, which means a 



126 Worship of the ancient Romans. 



bull, is rendered, a bullock, and in other pla- 
ces, an ox ; but as nothing mutilated was 
permitted to be offered in sacrifice, it should 
have been rendered bull, as it is in the mytho- 
logy. An oak, in the mythology, was said to 
be sacred to Jupiter, so the patriarchs wor- 
shipped God, in oak-groves, and under oak- 
trees, in allusion to its durability above all 
other trees ; and so by it they emblematically 
represented the eternity of God. 

They also sacrificed other animals toJupiter, 
which were commanded to be sacrificed among 
the Hebrews, as well as the bull : such as the 
ram, the goat, the lamb, the dove. By an eagle, 
the king of birds, they represented the majesty 
and supremacy of God. The cock was with 
them assigned to the sun, which was taken from 
the testament, where he is noticed by Christ, 
on account of his peculiar property, by which 
he gives notice of the various watches of the 
night. 

Mourning women were hired by them to 
mourn for, and sing the virtues of, the deceased; 
and it was accounted the greatest of all mis- 



Worship of the ancient Romans. 127 



fortunes that could befal them, the greatest of 
all punishments, if at any time they were in dan- 
ger of being denied the honor of burial. These 
customs were also taken from the ancient He- 
brews, Jer. xxii. 18. 19. Therefore thus saith 
the Lord concerning Jehoiachim the son of Jo- 
siah king of Judah ; they shall not lament for 
him, saying, Ah my brother ! or ah sister ! 
they shall not lament for him, saying, All 
Lord ! or ah his glory ! He shall be buried 
with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth 
beyond the gates of Jerusalem. 

In the time of Numa, the w orship of the 
Romans appears to have been more consistent 
with reason and the religion of the Bible, than 
it was in after ages. One of their offerings 
was corn and cakes besprinkled with salt, 
which was similar to the offerings - among the 
Hebrews. The vestals, called afterwards 
nuns, were chosen to perform certain services 
in their temples, which custom began with the 
daughter of Jephthah, who was not sacrificed, 
but agreeably to his vow, she was appointed 
to a certain office in the temple. This accord- 



1£8 Worship of the ancient Romans. 



ing to the language of Jephthah when he said, 
shall be the Lord's, meant, that she should 
be dedicated to the Lord, by leaving all 
worldly concerns, and by devoting her whole 
life to the service of God. 

y 

Such was the high opinion that the ancient 
Romans entertained concerning chastity, that 
if any of these vestal virgins were known 
to commit fornication, they were buried 
alive. 

The priests of Jupiter were originally twelve, 
according to the number of the twelve tribes 
of the Hebrews. They also had a high priest, 
a sovereign pontiff, who like Aaron, had the 
supreme government of all things appertaining 
to religion ; and whose opinion was conclu- 
sive. So sacred did they hold the office of their 
great pontiff, that any criminal who fled to him 
for protection, if his crime had merited death, 
obtained a respite for a considerable time, 
and if the crime was not capital, he frequently 
escaped punishment. Which custom was 
taken from the Bible, where we read that th« 



Worship of the ancient Romans. 129 



cities of refuge were appointed for the man- 
slayer. 

Varro and other writers inform us, that there 
were above thirty-thousand different idols 
worshipped in Europe ; that a god was as- 
signed to every thing in nature ; as to the sun, 
moon, stars, oceans, gu/phs, straits, lakes, 
rivers, mountains, trees, plants : also to all 
the passions and affections of man, good and 
evil: to which like the descendants of the 
ancient Grecians, they paid divine honors. 
But Varro and other writers, who have given 
us this information, have confined themselves 
to the idolatry of the Romans, as it was prac- 
tised at the time of the dispersion of the Jews ; 
at which period, pagan idolatry was the pro- 
fession of the whole Roman empire. Had 
they given us an account of the origin of 
the multitudinous worship, which, by the au- 
thority of the Roman government, was the 
established worship over Europe at the corn- 
ing of Christ, they would have informed us 
that the most ancient Romans attributed the 



ISO Worship of the ancient Romans. 



minute affairs of man, and all the operations 
of nature, in all her variety of manifestation, 
to the superintending providence of one Su- 
preme Being. This knowledge they had from 
the ancient Greeks, who received their theolo- 
gy from the Cretans, the Cretans from the 
Phoenicians, the Phoenicians from the He- 
brews, the Hebrews from the Egyptians, and 
the Egyptians from the Antediluvians. For 
we cannot suppose that men of refined senti- 
ments, who for learning, eloquence, and the 
polite arts, have been models for imitation to 
all Europe, and whose literary works are re- 
tained in our colleges, as master-pieces of 
composition, could be so far lost to a sense of 
right reason, as to worship oceans, rivers, trees, 
mountains, and the various passions and af- 
fections of the mind, as such only: but as 
symbolical representations of those passion:? 
and propensities, of which they were the fittest 
representatives in outward nature, according 
to the custom of the Hebrews, and the ancient 
people before them. Numa had such a ra- 
tional view of the divine perfections, that he 



Worship of the Chinese. 131 



would not suffer the Romans to make graven 
images to represent that Being, who is infinite 
and incomprehensible. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT AND 
MODERN CHINESE. 

The theology of the ancient Chinese, who 
lived before the time of Moses, was, as to its 
juridical and moral institutes, much the same as 
is contained in the ancient part of the Bible ; 
but the ancient Chinese, who lived after the 
time of Moses, followed the order of the He- 
brews, by dividing their Shu-king, or sacred 
book, into five parts. They seem to have 
approved of the pentateuch ; like the sacred 
code of the Samaritans, and of their Persian 
neighbours, the laws and precepts of their 
Shu-King are much the same. This book 
is held in the highest estimation among them, 



Worship of the 



for knowledge concerning the origin of the 
world, the fall of man, and the worship of 
one God. 

According to the best information we have 
received, this hook was in the possession of 
the Chinese long before the dispersion of the 
Jews ; in which is preserved the history of the 
Serpent, and the fall of man. It is thus trans- 
lated in Brudinot's Age of Revelation, p. 3 17. 
"The rebellious and perverse dragon suffers 
by his pride ; his ambition blinded him ; he 
would mount up to Heaven, but he was 
thrown down upon Earth, and lost eternal 
life." The Chinese were evidently in existence 
as a nation before the time of Moses , and ap- 
pear to be descended from Joktan, the brother 
of Peleg, in whose time the earth was 
divided, which, as has been observed, was 
not a division of the earth, but a division of 
the people. Peleg and his descendants conti- 
nued in the worship of the true God, and in the 
belief of the coming of the Messiah ; but Jok- 
tan and his descendants retained the worship of 
the patriarchs before Noah, yet did not believe 



ancient Chinese. 



133 



in the Coming of a Messiah. That these de- 
scendants of Joktan peopled China and the 
regions of the east, appears sufficiently plain 
from the ancient part of the Bible. Eber the 
great-grandson of Shem, was the father of 
Joktan, and it is expressly said that the de- 
scendants of Joktan peopled the eastern parts 
of the world after the flood, Gen. x. 29- 30. 
All these were the sons of Joktan, and their 
dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest, unto 
Sephar, a mount of the east. Now as China 
lies directly east of that part of the world 
where the posterity of Eber settled, there can 
be no doubt but that the descendants of Joktan, 
the brother of Peleg, who settled to the east of 
his land, were the people from whom the 
Chinese are descended. So that we find there 
is some ground for their supposing themselves 
to be one of the most ancient nations. 

In one of these five books, which are the 
sacred books of the Chinese, a description is 
given of the Supreme Being as follows : " He 
is independent, almighty — a being who knows 
all things — the secrets of the heart are not hid- 



134 The modern Chinese. 



den from him," In these few words, are 
comprehended all the perfections of Deity, his 

OMNIPOTENCE, OMNISCIENCE, and OM- 
NIPRESENCE. 

The patriarchal form of government was the 
government of the ancient Chinese ; the em- 
peror was a priest, and officiated at various 
times in the year at the great assembly of the 
empire, when the nobles, and those in au- 
thority, constituted this august audience. At 
this grand national assembly, the emperor of- 
fered sacrifices according to the Shu-king, or 
Jive sacred books> which had a wonderful 
effect in establishing the worship of God in 
that vast empire. 



THE MODERN CHINESE 



Are supposed to be gross idolaters, but this 
charge has never been substantiated. It is un- 



The modern Chinese* 



135 



just to charge them with idolatry, because ima- 
* ges of the human form are in their temples : 
with as much justice may we declare that the 
ancient Hebrews were idolators, because the 
figure of a man, a lion, an ox, and an 
eagle, or the compound form of the cheru- 
bim were found in their temples, as I have 
before observed. It is unreasonable to sup- 
pose, that entertaining such high and just senti- 
ments as are contained in their Shu-king, or 
jive holy books, concerning the unity and per- 
fections of God, they can possibly worship 
images, stocks, and stones, as the creators of 
the world, and the immediate superintenders 
of a divine providence, in which they believe. 

Their five sacred books, or Shu-king, 
inculcate virtue, and condemn vice, they de- 
clare that every good thought is given by 
Shang-ti, i. e. the God of Heaven, who re- 
wards the good, and punishes the evil ; and 
that he is ever ready to afford his influence to 
all who are willing to become virtuous. There- 
fore it is not possible to suppose that this an- 



136 The modern Chinese, 



cient and enlightened people, whose vast 
population is almost incredible, and who have 
been acquiring knowledge ever since the flood, 
should be so deficient concerning the know- 
ledge of the Supreme Being, as has been re- 
presented by some writers. 

The religion of the Modern Chinese is 
Pagan, but all Pagans are not Idolators (See 
Pagan). 

There are a variety of sects ; the most nume- 
rous are those who profess the doctrines of 
Foe. He is said to have lived 1000 years 
before Christ. 

The followers of Confucius, who lived 500 
years before Christ, are the persons of dig- 
nity and the learned. They worship one 
Supreme Being, for whom they have the 
highest veneration, and teach the necessity of 
strict morality. They believe in a super- 
intending providence, that the divine being is 
infinite, that our thoughts are not hidden from 



Religion of Chinese Tartary. 137 



him, that he rewards the truly good with 
eternal happiness, and that vice is punished in 
the future state. 



THE RELIGION OF CHINESE TARTAHY 

Is much the same as that of China. The 
emperor, who descended from the Tartars, 
from motives of state policy resides six months 
in China, and six mouths in Tartary, where the 
court and the nobility attend also. So that the 
established religion is the same ; though dif- 
ferent sects are allowed to worship in their 
own way, provided they do not interfere with 
the established order of the government. 

In Russian Tartary they inculcate the 
doctrine and practice of the Greek church. 
And the inhabitants of 

MOGUL AND INDEPENDENT TARTARY 

Profess the Hindoo, the Mahometan, 
the Greek, and the Popish religions. In 



138 Worship of the Indians, 



that part of Tartary, called Thibet, a vast 
extent of country, they have a representative 
idol called the grand lama. But the 
Schaman professors, whose doctrines are 
much the same' as those of the followers of 
Confucius in China, are the most numerous. 



THE WORSHIP OF THE PEOPLE OF THOSE 
NATIONS, KNOWN TO US BY THE NAME 
OF 

THE EAST INDIES, 

Is of various kinds, but they all agree in this 
one great truth ; that there is one God, who 
created all things, who rewards the good, and 
punishes the wicked. 

The Indians are from a very ancient origin ; 
like their Persian neighbours, they may be 
traced back to the immediate descendants of 



The Brahmans. 



139 



Noah ; and like them they had just notions 
concerning the worship of the God of Heaven. 
This worship was again restored to them by 
the descendants of Abraham, and it appears 
to have been observed among them, until the 
time of Alexander the great. A part of 
the Grecian mythology was then introduced, 
and they worshipped Jupiter, Bacchus, Juno, 
Neptune, &c. after the manner of the Greeks, 
and like them, none were considered to be 
supreme but Jupiter. They believe in the 
presence of good and evil genii, which is con- 
sistent with scripture, viz. are they not minis- 
tering spirits sent forth to minister to those who 
shall be heirs of salvation ? 

TheGENTOos were the first inhabitants of 
India, so called from the Hebrew word 
Goim, i. e. nations, translated Gentiles. 

The Brahmans are an order of Hin- 
doo priests and philosophers, who fill the 
highest offices of state as counsellors in many 
kingdoms of the east: they are highly vene- 



140 The Brahmans. 



rated, and learned in the languages and scien- 
ces. 

It must be allowed that the people of India 
are from a very ancient origin, but we cannot 
admit any part of profane history as authority 
for determining who were the fathers of these 
very ancient nations. We are therefore necessa- 
rily driven to the Bible, where we are enabled 
to ascertain with a degree of certainty this im- 
portant matter. I say important, because from 
the assertion of the ingenious and learned 
writer of the Indian Antiquities, many 
have been led to conclude that their yajur 
veda, or holy book, was more ancient than 
the writings of Moses. In that work it is 
said to have been written 1580 years bejore 
Christ, which was nine years previous to the 
birth of Moses, and eighty-nine before he de- 
parted from Egypt with the Israelites. This, 
with some, has had a tendency to depreciate 
the authority of the sacred record ; for such as 
object to the priority of the book of Moses, 
think they are supported in declaring that the 



The Brahmans. 141 



Hebrew law-giver copied his books from the 
yajur veda of the Brahmans. But the 
writer of the Indian Antiquities, to whom 
the present and future generations must be 
debtors, had no necessity to adduce proof in 
a more recent publication, that the date of the 
yajur veda was not more than 1200 years 
before the time of Christ. For were we to 
admit that this book was more ancient than the 
books of Moses, which is not the case, it does 
not follow because many things in that book 
agree with the Mosaic account, that Moses 
copied them from the yajur veda. 

Moses must have had his information re- 
specting the origin of the world and the fall of 
man, either from God, or from those who 
lived before him. It will not be contended 
that the antiquity of the most ancient Indians can 
possibly reach beyond the time of Noah ; but if 
w e allow that these people are descended from 
the first descendants of Noah, they must have 
been in possession of the particulars concerning 
the origin of the world, and the fall of man. 



142 The Brahmans. 



So in like manner, as Moses descended from 
Arphaxad, the son of Shem, he and the patri- 
archs were well acquainted with these things, 
being handed down to him in the regular line, 
as I have shown in the first and second order 
of the patriarchs. Therefore there is no ne- 
cessity for supposing, that the historical account 
of the most ancient times in the yajur veda 
was copied in the Mosaic account of the crea- 
tion, were we even to give this book the great- 
est possible antiquity. 

It appears from the 10th chapter of Genesis, 
that after the first descendants of Noah to 
Eber, the earth was divided in the time of 
Peleg his son, that the other son of Eber was 
Joktan, of whose descendants it is said, And 
their dwelling zvas from Mesha, as thou 
goest, unto Sephar, a mount of the east. So 
that Mesha and Sephar which were to the east, 
point out the situation of these descendants of 
Joktan, which was undeniably that part of the 
world we now call India. From all which it 
also appears that the Persians, the descendants 



The Brahmans. 



143 



of Elam, were five generations before the de- 
scendants of Joktan, or the Indians. It 
also enables ns to conclude, that as the de- 
scendants of Elam at this period considered 
Persia as their own land, which has remained 
in their possession to this day, so the descend- 
ants of Joktan, when they settled on the bor- 
der of their Persian brethren, after the memor- 
able epocha of the division of the earth, be- 
came the original possessors of India ; where 
they have formed a number of nations, and 
scrupulously retain their peculiar cast to the 
present day. 

The Brahmans took their name from Abra- 
ham, who by them was called Brahma, which 
is the same word, and differs only as to the 
Indian pronunciation. For Abraham means the 
Father of the land of Aram, and Brahma is a 
Hebrew word, which with the prefix beth, 
in, literally means tn Aram, to signify to 
posterity that the great restorer of their ancient 
religion came from Aram, which accounts for 
the change of his name, the Chaldean Hebrew 
language being the universal language. That 



144 



The Brahtnaris. 



the ancient Brahmans were the descendants 
of the patriarch Abraham, and that they were 
sent by him to India, in order to promulgate 
the truths of the dispensation he had received 
from God, will appear evident. Vossius 1 in- 
forms us that all places eastward of the Medi- 
terranean sea were anciently called India, (as 
above) Abraham resided in the land of Ca- 
naan, which is to the east of that sea ; and 
modern India is considerably to the eastward 
of the land of Canaan. And when he gave 
portions to his six sons by Keturah, he sent 
them with their sons and grandsons, while he 
yet lived, eastzcard^ unto the east country, 
which was evidently that part of the world we 
now call India. Neither can it be doubted 
but that they were invited to this part of the 
world by the kings of India, to instruct 
them in the true principles of religion, and 
philosophy : for according to Josephus, Antiq. 
lib. i. c. 8. Justin, lib. xxxvi. c. 2. from 
Trogus Pompeus, Clemens Alexandrinus, 
andEusebius, lib. xin.c. 12. Abraham (who 



1 Vossius de Idolat. lib, i. c. 26. 



The Brahmaiis. 



H5 



was the king of Damascus) was famed over all 
the east as a profound theologian, and phi- . 
losopher. 

Pythagoras also travelled into India, to con- 
verse with the Brahmans of his day, in order to 
gain a knowledge of their theology, the fame of 
which had reached Greece. It is asserted by 
some writers, that he obtained the knowledge of 
the transmigration of souls from them, which 
has been thus erroneously defined. That the 
soul, after it has lived its appointed time in the 
body, then transmigrates into another body, and 
that this may be a coze, a bull, a fox, a horse, a 
lion, a pig, or any other animal : and thus as 
they believe man to be a fallen creature, he 
may at length by continual suffering, make 
some atonement, and gradually ascend to the 
state from which he fell. All the writers, that 
I have seen on this subject, have greatly erred 
in defining the meaning of Pythagoras and the 
Brahmans, concerning the transmigration of 
souls. It has been altogether misunderstood, 
for by this doctrine nothing more was meant 

G 



146 The Brahmans. 



by Pythagoras, and the Brahmans, than that 
according to the nature of that life which man 
acquires in this world, so that peculiar nature 
or propensity remains for ever in the future 
state, which by its correspondence might be 
similar to animals of an innocent, or to those 
of an evil, nature. 

The world is much indebted to Mr. Mau- 
rice, who has with great Jabor compiled a 
learned work on the AntiqtjitiesofIndia, 
where he gives us great information concern- 
ing the origin of the Hindoos. Mr. Maurice 
in this valuable work, gives us a short account 
of the theology of Hindostan, or Hindoos- 
town, or country ; we are informed that 
their legislator Brahman was the original 
writer of their holy book the veda, which 
contains the doctrines of their ancient religion. 

There are nevertheless many superstitious 
practices among some of them, altogether in- 
consistent with our view of things ; and others 
are permitted, which are shocking to humanity. 



The Brahmam. 



147 



I shall therefore conclude the remarks I have 
made concerning the theology of the Indian 
nations, v\ ith some particulars I have had from 
gentlemen of great respectability, who them- 
selves were eye-w itnesses to these facts. 

It is the custom in one part of India at this 
day, for wives to be buried alive with their 
deceased husbands. A geutleman, who was an 
officer in the British army under General 
Lake, (from whom I received the information) 
was present with a part of the division of the 
army, at an assembly where a woman was 
preparing for the horrid ceremony, The Eng- 
lish officers reasoned with her on the baseness 
of committing such an act of violence, for she 
had liberty to dispense with it. She replied, it 
was the custom with all good women, and that 
she should be despised if she did not comply. 
As they could not divert her from her purpose, 
one of the officers intentionally touched her, 
which according to their belief rendered her 
unclean. And as they did not suffer any to 
touch Tier, when she was preparing for this 



148 The Bmkmans. 



ceremony, but their own people, all the time 
she had been training for this unnatural exit 
was lost, and they were under the necessity of 
making another journey to the Ganges, where 
she was to be washed from the impure touch 
by those waters, which are held sacred by 
them. 

So jealous are they concerning their religious 
privileges, that the imprudent attempt to put 
an end to this disgraceful custom, alarmed the 
people. The whole cast, or tribe, were in com- 
motion^ and would not be satisfied unless the 
aggressor was punished ; which, had they had 
the power, would have been by death : he was 
accordingly publicly reprimanded by his su- 
perior officer. 

The immolation of females in India is, even 
at this time, very frequent. In Dr. Buchan- 
an's Christian Researches in India, 
we have an account of the number of w omen, 
who were burned alive on the funeral pile of 
their husbands, within thirty miles round Cal- 
cutta, from the beginning of April to the end 



The Brahmans. 



149 



of October 1804, which amounted to 115, in 
sLx months. This report was made by persons 
appointed by the professor of the Shanscrit 
and Bengal languages, in the college of Fort 
William. By an account taken in 1803, the 
number of women sacrificed, during that year, 
within thirty miles round Calcutta, was 

The same reverend author, Dr. Buchanan, 
informs us that when the Marquis Wellesley 
was governor general of India, having been 
informed that " the Hindoos had a religious 
rite, consecrated by custom, of sacrificing 
children, in consequence of vows, by drowniug 
them, or exposing them to sharks and cro- 
codiles ; and that twenty-three persons had 
perished in the month of January, 1801, 
he immediately passed a law, declaring the 
practice to be murder punishable by death. 
The law is intitled, A regulation for prevent- 
ing the sacrifice of children at Saugor, and 
other places, passed by the governor-general 
in council, on the 20th of August, 1802. 
The purpose of this regulation was completely 
efiected ; not a murmur was heard on the sub- 
ject, nor has any attempt of the kind come to 



150 



The Bi'ahmans. 



our knowledge since." ,This certainly will 
reflect the greatest honor on the humanity of 
that nobleman to the latest posterity. And if 
the same energetic measures were adopted, the 
horrid and abominable practice of burning wo- 
men alive at the death of their husbands, in the 
British dominions, would cease for ever. 

By other gentlemen of respectability, and 
undoubted veracity, who have resided in India 
many years, I have been informed that the 
missionaries sent from this country to convert 
the natives to Christianity, have at certain times 
had conferences with the chief men among 
them who reside in the British dominions. 
They have set forth the beauty of the religion 
of Christ, and the whole plan of salvation ; 
which when they have patiently heard, they 
answer thus : You have set forth in a very en- 
gaging manner, the superiority of the religion 
you profess, but we do not see that the pro- 
fessors of the religion of Christ, who reside 
among us, prove by their lives and conversa- 
tion, that these things are true. When we go 
into our temples, we take off our shoes, and 



The Brahmans. 151 



appear before our God with that reverence 
which is due to him who fills the universe with - 
his presence. When our worship is ended, we 
return to our homes, considering we have been 
paying our vows, not to the stones of which 
our altar is built, but to the invisible God: 
we injure none, nor do we condemn others 
for thinking differently on these subjects. But 
when your people go into your temples, though 
you inform us that they believe God to be 
present, yet they conduct themselves as though 
they were in a place of amusement. When 
your worship is ended, they go to riot and 
drunkenness, making use of every possible 
means to deceive others, and to gratify their 
unconquered inclinations, though it be the 
ruin of the unfortunate sufferers, who unhap- 
pily fall in their way. With these proofs of 
the lamentable conduct of the professors of 
your religion before our eyes, we do not see 
that we should gain any thing by changing our 
sentiments ; there is no inducement for us to 
forsake the ancient profession of our venerable 
fathers. 



152 



The Brahmans, 



When the missionaries inform them that 
there are two descriptions of professors among 
Christians, viz. those who worship God in 
sincerity with a pure devotion and those who 
are careless concerning this matter : they reply, 
that it would not be pleasing to God, should 
they meet before him and worship in sincerity, 
while others, who to their certain knowledge 
were living in open violation of the precepts of 
morality, blaspheming the very God they pre* 
tend to worship, were performing such devo- 
tion at the same altar. I shall here extract 
a paragraph from the Revd. Dr. Buchanan's 
Christian Researches in India, which 
justifies the above remarks. Page 50, he says, 
"the missionaries told me that religion had 
suffered much in Tranquebar of late years, 
from European infidelity, which was therefore 
hostile to the conversion of the Hindoos. It 
florishes more among the natives of Tanjore, 
and in other provinces where there are few 
Europeans, for we find that European example^ 
in the large towns, is the bane of Christian 
instruction." 



The Brahmans. 



153 



But there are other nations in the more in- 
terior part of India who worship idols literally. 
The idol Juggernaut is worshipped by im- 
mense numbers, who make a pilgrimage at 
their various feasts to the town of Juggernaut. 
On the 18th of June., at 12 o'clock, the idol 
is brought forth on a car sixty feet in height, 
amidst the acclamations of hundreds of thou- 
sands of deluded worshippers, who have resorted 
thither from various parts of the British do- 
minions in India ; so infatuated are these people, 
that many of them think it an honor to sacrifice 
themselves to this idol. This is said to be 
done in the presence of the company's sen- 
ants, the country being under their jurisdiction. 
They have levied a tax 1 on this deluded people 
which amounts to a great sum annually, sanc- 
tioning the worship of this idol, and for per- 
mitting them to offer human sacrifices. Surely, 
the just judgment of God will fall on the heads 
of those, who are the authors and sharers of 
this bloody molochian plunder. 

1 This tax was levied according to Dr. Buchanan, 
p. 32, by the Bengal government, called, A regulation 
for levying a tax on pilgrims resorting to the temple of 
Juggernaut, and for the superintendance and manage* 
ment of the temple, Pa^ed April 1806. 



THE 



WORSHIP OF THE ANCIENT AFRICANS 

It has been supposed by some writers, that 
the descendants of Japhet peopled Europe ; 
some might settle in this part of the world, 
though we have no satisfactory proof in scrip- 
ture that this was so. But it will appear, if 
we consult the Hebrew scriptures, that a great 
part of his posterity were the first settlers in 
Africa. 

The sons of Japhet zcere Gomer, and Ma- 
gog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and 
Meshech, and Tiras. Gen. x. 2. The grand- 
sons of Japhet are also mentioned, who with 
these gave their names to their posterity, form- 
ing different nations, each preserving the name 
of their progenitor. We are then informed in 
the fifth verse, as it stands in the translation, 
that, by these were the isles of the gentiles 
divided, in their lands, every one after his 
tongue, after their families, in their nations. 
But the word which is rendered gentiles, 



Worship of the ancient Africans. 155 



should be translated nations; and the word 
Jyee, which is translated isles, cannot be con- 
fined to such a signification. It means coun- 
tries, which are far remote beyond the sea, 
and these countries may be either islands, or 
continents. Jer. xxv. 22. and the kings of the 
Jyee, countries which are beyond the sea; 
But the countries of Europe are not beyond, 
or divided by, the sea from the land of Canaan 
where the patriarchs resided : therefore Eu- 
rope cannot be meant by the word Jyee, 
countries, which are beyond the sea. 

The descendants of Ham settled in the 
country of Palestine, including Babylon ; the 
descendants of Shem in the most eastern part, 
including Persia, Arabia, India;' and as Africa 
is divided by the Mediterranean sea, and the 
Red sea, from Europe, and the land of Canaan, 
which joins Egypt, it must be allowed that 
the descendants of Japhet were the first settlers 
in Africa. This is confirmed by the prophet 
Ezekiel, ch. xxxii. 26. where Meshech, and 
Tubal the sons of Japhet, whose names 
distinguished their descendants as nations, are 
mentioned as being a considerable people in 



156 Worship of the ancient Africans. 



Africa, when Pharoah was threatened with 
destruction. 

Mitzraim the second son of Ham, was also 
the father of a mighty nation. His descend- 
ants settled in Egypt, which in Hebrew is 
called by his name, Mitsraim, and not 
Egypt, It is also said from him came the 
Caphtorim, the word means to interpret— the 
solution of difficult things ; properly the priests 
of the most ancient order. The priests of 
Apollo were so called, from the pretended 
oracular predictions, and prophetic qualifica- 
tions of their God of wisdom. Bochart, v. i. 
p. 666. This will account for the represent- 
ative worship of the Egyptians. For as the 
descendants of Ham introduced the worship of 
their progenitor, who established the order of 
the ante-diluvian worship when it had sunk 
into idolatry, but which in its pure state was 
sacredly figurative, and representative ; so 
Mitzraim his son would naturally fall into that 
kind of worship, which was observed in Egypt 
at the time of Moses. 



The descendants of Japhet then, it ap 



Worship of the ancient Africans. 157 



pears unquestionably, were the first settlers 
in Africa, which land was well known to 
the patriarch Noah before the flood, and 
who, on account of its proximity to the land 
of Canaan, assigned these divisions to his pos- 
terity. From which we are authorised to draw 
this conclusion; that as Japhet worshipped the 
true God, so he must have established this 
worship among his descendants in Africa, ex- 
elusive of Egypt, where Mitzraim established 
the worship of Ham. The worship of the 
ancient Ethiopians appears to have been re- 
tained in its purity longer than in any of the 
oilier nations of Africa. For when the Queen 
went to visit Solomon, they had the knowledge 
of the true God, they used most of the Mosaic 
ceremonies, many of which were like those of 
the first patriarchs ; and the eunuch of Queen 
Candace was acquainted with the Hebrew 
scriptures in the days of the Apostles. The 
christian religion rlorished in Africa at the 
time of the council of Nice in the fourth cen- 
tury : but at this day, agreeably to the best 
information, ignorance and superstition have 
spread their baneful influence over the greatest 
part of this once enlightened country. 



MODERN AFRICANS. 

The religious professions of the modern 
Africans are three, viz. Paganism, Maho- 
metanism, and Christianity. The 
Pagans are those who do not receive the Bible, 
Koran, nor books esteemed sacred by any 
nation. Those who have travelled among 
them give a description of their theology, more 
consistent with reason than has been defined by 
writers in general. 

They inform us that, the " intelligent Pa- 
gans believe in the existence of one Supreme 
Being, that man shall rise again after death, 
and that there are rewards and punishments 
after this life ; this belief is universal among 
the African Pagans. They have exalted ideas 
of the majesty of the Deity, and believe that 
the superintendance of things in this world is 
under the direction of invisible beings, to whom 
God has committed it. Respecting a future 
state they speak with great humility, and 



Americans. 



159 



conclude that the future state of things will be 
far better suited to our inclinations and final 
happiness than the present world." Negro- 
land, upper and lower Guinea, Caffraria, the 
land of the Hottentots, and Ethiopia-inferior, 
universally profess Paganism. Egypt, Bar- 
bary, including the empire of Morocco, Nubia, 
Biledulgerid, or Zaara, profess Mahometan- 
ism. And the people of Ethiopia-superior, or 
Abyssinia, profess Christianity. 



IN NORTH AMERICA 

The different professions of the Christian 
religion, are the same as in Europe. Epi- 
scopalians, Presbyterians, and In- 
dependents, are all tolerated. And 

IN SOUTH AMERICA 

The religion is in general Roman Catholic. 
New Mexico, Old Mexico, Chili, 



160 



Paganism. 



Peru, Terra Fir ma, Brazil, and Pa- 
raguay, are accounted to have received the 
doctrines of the church of Rome. But the 
natives of Amazonia are Pagans. They 
have a great number of idols, supposed to be 
subordinate to one God. * 



paganism. 



The word Pagan is derived from the He- 
brew y^sj Phagang, which means to approach, 
to intercede. But when the descendants of the 
ancient Pagans became an ignorant people, 
ignorant with regard to the true worship of 
God, it was used by the Rabbis to mean a 
rustic, a barbarian, or one uncultivated, or 
untaught in things appertaining to religion, 
and was written Pagan, with 3 nun, in- 
stead of y Oin, or ng, as it is now written 
Pacan. 



Paganism. 



161 



From the original meaning of the word, 
we are naturally led to conclude, that the 
first Pagans were not worshippers of idols, 
but of the true God. They understood that 
a mediator, an intercessor was promised, 
which knowledge they must have received 
from the primaeval people, who believed in 
the coming of the Messiah, the redeemer, and 
who looked upon things in outward nature as 
representing, according to their properties and 
propensities, the passions and propensities 
in themselves. But in process of time, the 
images of these things were placed in their 
temples ; the original understanding and ap- 
plication was first neglected, then lost, and 
they worshipped God through the images, 
which were originally representative only ; 
hence began idolatry. 

This kind of worship by images and figures, 
now pervades many of the nations of Asia and 
Africa, Great Tartary, China, India, al- 
most the whole of the back settlements of 
North and South America. But whether all 
these populous nations, containing by far a 
greater number of inhabitants than are to be 



16£ European Pagans. 



found in all the parts of the world beside, 
among whom, must be many sensible, learned 
and judicious men, as appears from the wis- 
dom displayed in their laws and forms of civil 
governments established among them. I say, 
whether all these populous nations are so far 
lost to a sense of the dignity of human nature, 
as to worship images, stocks, and stones, as 
such, believing them to be gods, as is by some 
asserted, requires better proof than we have 
hitherto had concerning the credulity of so vast 
a proportion of the human race. When they 
are told, it is supposed by Christians, that 
they worship these things, they show their 
disapprobation of every thing of this nature, 
and say, that they use them only as represent- 
ative figures of the great one, who made 
and governs all things. 



EUROPEAN PAGANS. 



The Polytheism of the European Pagans 
has, by some writers of great credit, been fixed 



Mahomet anism. 



163 



to five or six different orders, or professions. 
First, the Polytheism of the ancient Grecians, 
and the Romans. 2d. The Teutonic, and the 
Gothic. 3d. The Celtic nations. 4th. The 
Sclavonian. 5th. The most northern regions 
of Europe, as far as Lapland, Greenland, &c. 
According to the best authorities, France and 
England were first peopled by the Celts, who 
established the religion of the Druids. The 
Goths entered Germany, Scandinavia, and 
thus introduced the Runic mythology. 

Before I attempt to define the particular 
views of the different sects of the Christian 
religion, it will be proper to say something 
concerning the origin of 



MAHOMETANISM. 

In the year 622 of the Christian oera, Honorius 
the fifth being the bishop of Rome, and Hera- 
clius Caesar emperor of the west, when idolatry 
had spread its baneful influence over Arabia ; 
Mahomet an Arabian, seeing the many gross 



164 



Mahomet an ism . 



absurdities of such a religious system, and not 
being able to comprehend the doctrine of the 
Trinity, as it was then taught by the professors 
of Christianity; formed the plan of a new sect, 
by combining a part of the laws of Moses, with 
some of the precepts of the new testament, 
and published them as a new code of laws. 
In order to make these laws revered, he pre- 
tended that he received them from the arch- 
angel Gabriel by the command of God, and 
that he was the prophet chosen to promulgate 
them. 

There is no other way of accounting for the 
great progress which this new sect made by the 
conversion of the eastern nations to the Maho- 
metan faith, but on the ground of this impostor 
holding forth the unity of God, and the pro- 
mise of sensual enjoyments in Heaven to those 
who obeyed his laws. The first command- 
ment was taken from the Bible ; it runs thus in 
the Mahometan code, I believe in one 
God only. This struck at the root of the 
polytheism of the east, and was one great 
cause of the reception of his doctrines. 



Maliometanism* 



165 



The Koran is the sacred book of the Maho- 
metans, written in pure Arabic, and is in as 
high estimation with them, as the Bible is with 
Christians. 

Mahomet was obliged to propagate his 
doctrines by sensual indulgence and the sword ; 
but as the Bible, from which he endeavoured 
to frame his system, did not allow of any 
thing like sensual indulgence, and finding 
that a system of self-denial was not cal- 
culated to give him popularity, he adopted 
many of the Pagan rites, and also gave per- 
mission to indulge in sensual pleasure. There- 
fore he promised every good Mahometan, who 
died righting for his religion, a multiplicity of 
wives, beautiful as the houris, and that all who 
thus fall were immediately translated to Para- 
dise. 

As the principal doctrines of this sect were 
taken from the scriptures, we must expect to 
find many things nearly the same as are con- 
tained in them. They believe that at the last day, 
the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be 



366 



The Christian Religion. 



raised ; that the angel Michael shall weigh the 
souls of men ; that there is a separate state be- 
tween Heaven and Hell, or a Purgatory ; that 
to have images in their temples is idolatry ; that 
the new moon ought to be saluted reverentially ; 
that polygamy is allowable : that a pilgrimage 
is to be made to Mecca everv year, as the males 
did to Jerusalem. All which are taken from the 
Bible, and modified so as to please the sensu- 
alities of his votaries. They also believe the 
doctrine of fate as to things of this world, but 
admit that all who live good lives will be saved. 
Mahometanism prevails in Asia, and part of 
Africa, in Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Mesopota- 
mia, Georgia, Turcomania, where the Christ- 
ian religion florished in the early ages of the 
church. 



THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

We now come to that period, sacred to 
every Christian. When to fulfil the ancient 
promise that the seed of the woman should 



The Christian Religion. 16*7 



bruise the serpent's head ; the Redeemer of the 
World left the glory of the Father, zchich he 
had with him before the world teas, became 
man for our salvation, at whose coming the 
sacrifices and ceremonies of the Mosaic dis- 
pensation were to cease for ever ; and pro- 
mulgated the truths of our holy religion. 

The fundamental principles of the Christian 
religion, appear from what is said by our Lord, 
and his disciples, to consist in repentance, 
faith, and uprightness of life: love 
to God, and charity to man. Here is the 
ground-w ork on which the spiritual temple is 
to be raised for the reception of Heaven in 
man, ye are the temple of God. "Repent- 
ance whereby we forsake sin, and Faith 
whereby we stedfastly believe the promises of 
God/' which, if it be a genuine faith, will 
produce a life in conformity thereto, a con- 
science void of offence towards God, and to- 
wards man. 

Unlike all the churches which preceded, the 
Christian church was not to be a representa* 



168 The Christian Religion. 



tive church ; no types, no figures were neces- , 
sary when the great founder of our religion 
made his appearance. He came to abolish 
the sacrifices, and ceremonies of the Jews, 
which were all representative of him the 
great sacrifice; and to show man, that 
the sacrifice of a broken and of a contrite 
spirit, operating in a life agreeably to the 
commands of God, is the most acceptable 
sacrifice to him. Wherewith shall I come be- 
fore the Lord, and bow myself before the high 
God? shall I come before him with burnt-of- 
ferings, with calves of a year old f Will the 
Lord be pleased wiPh thousands of rams ? or 
with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I 
give my first-born for my transgression, the 
first of my body for the sin of my soul? He 
hath showed thee, O man, what is good ; and 
what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do 
justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly 
with thy God. This is summed up in those ever- 
memorable words of the Christian Redeemer, 
which comprehend the substance of true re- 
ligion. Matt. xxii. 37. 39. Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and 



The Christian Religion. 169 



f ii'ith all thy soul, and zpith all thy mind: 
Thoushalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

It is not my intention to amuse the reader, 
by entering into the vast field of notions and 
opinions, which in the early ages of the Christ- 
ian church began to be entertained by a few 
unsettled and intemperate men ; it would be a 
loss of time, without answering any valuable 
end. I shall therefore be as brief as possible 
in giving an account of the sects of lesser note ; 
but with regard to those which made a more 
conspicuous figure, 1 shall endeavor to be 
more particular. 

It is allowed that the world contains eight 
hundred millions of souls; the whole popula- 
tion is divided into THREE, distinct, religious 
bodies, having for their rule of faith, THREE 
books, which are esteemed as revelations of 
the divine will. First : Those who receive the 
sacked scriptures. Second: The Ma- 
hometans, who receive the Koran. Third: 
The Pagans, who have their own writings. 
One hundred and eighty-three millions only 
if 



170 The Christian Religion. 



are Christians. One hundred and thirty 
millions are Mahometans. Three mill- 
ions are Jews ; and most painful is it to say, 
that the remainder, amounting to four hundred 
and eighty seven millions are Pagans. Christ- 
ianity divides itself into THREE professions. 
The first in order is, 

The Eastern church, by which we 
understand the Greek church. 

2nd. The church of Rome. 

3rd. The Protestant church. 

Among professors of Christianity there are 
THREE different opinions concerning church 
government. Episcopalian, Presby- 
terian, and that of the Independents, 
who are neither subject to bishops, assemblies, 
nor presbyteries. 

There are THREE different opinions res- 
specting the object of divine worship. The 
Trinitarians, theARiANs, andtheUNi- 
tarians. There also exists a great difference 
of opinion among the complex body, as to the 
means by which salvation is given to men : 



Seels of the Christian Religion. 171 



this again is divided into THREE, viz. the 
Calvinist, the Arminian, and the Uni- 
tarian. 



A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE DIFFERENT 
SECTS OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION. 

Those small parties, which in the first age of 
the Christian church have hitherto been called 
sects, do not appear to have been sufficiently 
numerous to claim that appellation. They 
were but half-converts, mixing the old prac- 
tices of the idolators w ith the pure doctrines 
taught by Christ and the Apostles. The second 
and third chapters of the Revelation w ere di- 
rected to the churches of Asia, to warn them 
from falling into these pernicious practices. 
If we turn to the writings of the first Christian 
fathers, and compare what they have said con- 
cerning the doctrines and worship of those 



172 



The Gnostics. 



half-christians ; we shall be able to determine 
who they were that are alluded to by the 
Apostle in the messages to the seven churches, 
which has escaped the notice of every writer 
I have met with on that subject. 



THE GNOSTICSe 

The Gnostics appear to have been the im- 
mediate successors of the Apostles. The word 
Gnostic, from Fv&xrixog, means knowledge. 
The first Gnostics were certainly the best 
philosophers, and the most learned among the 
original descendants of the Apostles, who 
called themselves by this name ; because of the 
true knowledge communicated to them in the 
gospels, concerning religion and the worship 
of God. 

According to Clemens Alexandrinus, there 
were two sorts of Gnostics ; the true Gnostic, 



The Gnostics. 



17 3 



or the true follozcer of Christ ; who preserves 
the doctrine pure as it was delivered by the 
Apostles : and the various sects of professing 
Christians, who corrupted the doctrines of the 
gospel, by incorporating therewith the opini- 
ons and practices of the Heathen worshippers. 
The chief of these were the Nicholaitans, 
Carpocrati ans, Cerinthians, Ebion- 

ITES, SlMONlANS, Va LEN TIN I AN S, and 

Nazarenes; all originally Gnostics, but 
who changed this name for that of the leader 
of each respective sect. The doctrines, put 
forth by these men, appear to have drawn the 
churches from the truth as preached by the 
Apostles ; and which was the cause of the Re- 
velation being given to John, who was directed 
to write to the seven churches. 

Among the professors of Christianity at 
this early period, there appears to have been 
a serious falling away from the truth as deli- 
vered by the Apostles. For the first church, 
to which John was directed to write, had fallen 
from the simplicity of the gospel. It is called 
on to do tte first works ; to repent ; from which 



174 



The Gnostics. 



we are authorised to conclude : that as first 
works are repentance, and as pride is the op- 
posite of humility, or a state of repentance, 
that pride must have been the true character- 
istic of the church of Ephesus at this period; 
therefore it is called on to repent and to do 
its first works. 

But the second church, that is, the church 
of Smyrna, was highly approved, viz. I know 
thy works, and tribulation and poverty, (but 
thou art rich ) fear none of those things which 
thou shalt suffer, behold the Devil shall cast 
some of you in prison, that ye may be tried; 
and ye shall have tribulation ten days : be thou 
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a 
crown of life. From which we learn that the 
churches of Smyrna over which the angel, or 
he who was sent (which is its meaning) to pre- 
side, were at this time in a state of persecution 
for the sake of the gospel ; but who are here 
encouraged to hold out to the end. 

At the time when the Apostle was directed 
to communicate these things to the seven 



The Gnostics. 



175 



superior churches, there was a violent perse- 
cution of the Christians. For the third church, 
that is, the church in Pekgamos, was highly 
approved: and although it was surrounded by 
persecutors, yet it was steadfast in the faith, 
condemned the abomination of idol worship, 
and sealed the truth with its blood. Verse 13. 
I know thy works and zchere thou dwelleth, 
even where Satan's seat is : and thou /widest 

fast my name, and hast not denied my faith 
even in these days wherein Antipas was my 

faithful martyr, who was slain among you, 
where Satan dwel/eth. 

But w r e find that this church is accused of 
keeping those in her connection, who were of 
the opinion of Nicholas; who held the doctrine 
of Balaam and taught the people to eat of the 
sacrifices, which the idolators offered to their 
idols. This was an accommodating system, a 
joining of idolatry with Christianity. 

The fourth church noticed by the Apostle, 
was the church of Thyatira, highly spoken 
of for its charity, faith, works, service, and 



176 



The Gnostics. 



patience. Patience (no doubt) because of its 
steadfastness in the faith under the persecutions 
of the heathen emperors. But like the church 
of Pergamos, the angel, (or he who was sent 
to govern the church), permitted those to be 
connected with them, who also were wor- 
shippers of idols, v. 20. Notwithstanding I 
have a few things against thee, becatise thou 
sufferest that woman, Jezebel, which calleth 
herself a prophetess to teach and to seduce my 
servants to commit fornication, and to eat 
things sacrificed to idols. This woman, Jeze- 
bel, seems to have been a person of consider- 
able consequence among the people of Thya- 
tira, who had not forsaken the idolatrous wor- 
ship, but who joined it with the Christian 
worship. This is also called fornication, a 
scripture term for those who were idolators, in 
allusion to departing from virtue. This church, 
as well as the church of Pergamos, was 
charged with keeping in its connection some of 
the sect of the Nicholaitans. 

The fifth church, or the church of Sard is.^ 
was in a very low state, when the Apostle 



The Gnostics. 



177 



wrote the Revelation. But yet there were 
some among them, who held fast their faith in 
the Redeemer, ch. iii. 4. Thou hast a few 
names even in Sardis, which have not defiled 
their garments, and they shall walk zoith me in 
white ; for they are worthy. Worthy, because 
they were steadfast, notwithstanding they were 
persecuted by the heathens, and kept themselves 
unspotted from the world. 

The sixth church, or the church of Phila- 
delphia, was also in a low state on account of 
the persecutions against the Christians. But 
nevertheless they had not departed from the 
faith. We find from this passage that the ido- 
lators had attempted to shut up their places of 
worship, but they were told v. 8, 9. / know 
thy works : behold I have set before thee an 
open door, and no man can shut it ; for thou 
hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, 
and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will 
make them of the synagogue of Satan, (i. e. 
the idolatrous worshippers) which say they are 
Jews, and arc not, but do lie, behold, I will 
make them to come and worship before thy 



* 



178 



The Gnostics. 



feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 
Because thou hast kept the word of my 
patience, I will also keep thee from the hour 
of temptation : viz. during the persecutions of 
the Roman tyrants. 

But the seventh church, or the church of 
Lao dice A, was in that state equally disposed 
either to join the idolatry of the Laodiceans, or 
the profession of Christianity ; for the Apostle 
was commanded to write, / know thy works, 
that thou art neither cold nor hot, I would 
thou zoert cold or hot. So then because thou 
art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will 
spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou 
sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, 
and have need of nothing, and knowest not 
that thou art zoretched and miserable, andpoor y 
and blind, and naked. Nevertheless we find 
that this church had been earnest in promul- 
gating the truths of the Christian religion, as it 
is said in the following verse, As many as I 
love I rebuke and chasten, be zealous therefore 
and repent: but had greatly fallen away. 
Neither does it appear that they had fallen 



The Nicholaitans. 



179 



away from principle,, because it is said, as 
many as I love I rebuke and chasten, there- 
fore it must have been occasioned by the very 
severe persecutions, which the Christians suf- 
fered from the pagan worshippers of that day. 

The .first society of professing Christians 
after the Apostles, which began to distinguish 
itself by the name of a founder, or an inventor 
of something new, was 



THE NICHOLAITANS, 

The Nicholaitan prostitution of the truths of 
the Christian religion, began at a very early 
period. Nicholas, the founder, we are informed, 
was born at Antioch, before the Evangelist 
John was banished to Patmos. He was one 
of the seven, mentioned in Acts the 6th, and on 
that account calculated to do much injury to 
the church. 

According to Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Aus- 
tin, they mixed the Jewish and Pagan rites, 



180 



The Nicholaitans. 



with a part of the Christian order of worship, 
after the manner of Balaam, who joined apart 
of the Jewish rites with the practices of the 
idolatrous heathens. In reference to which, it 
is said in the 14th verse of the third chapter of 
the Revelation, because thou hast there them 
that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught 
Balak to cast a stumbling block before the 
children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto 
idols. From which it is certain that idolatry 
was common among the eastern nations at that 
period, and that Nicholas revived the old 
abomination of Balaam, by joining the idola- 
trous rites with the Christian order of worship. 

For which reason it is said Rev. ii. 15. So 
hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of 
the Nicholaitans, which thing I hate. 



THE C ARPOCRATI ANS 



Began their heresv also in the time of the 
Evangelist John. Their founder was Carpo- 
crates. 

They held that faith alone was only neces- 
sary for salvation ; and that it was unnecessary 
for those who had this faith, to have good 
works. They were lovers of magic, men of 
bad lives, or who indulged themselves in sen- 
sual practices, and taught that Christ was no 
more than another man. 

These followers of Carpocrates appear to 
have been connected with the church of Peroa- 

o 

mos; for, according to the above-mentioned 
fathers, they joined the idolatrous practice of 
eating things offered up to idols, as mentioned 
in the 14th verse of the 2d chapter of the 
Revelation, with the Christian order of wor- 
ship. Therefore the Carpocratians, who lived 
at this time, must necessarily be meant by 



18£ The Corinthians and Ebionites. 



those who are thus clearly described by the 
Apostle. In this church also, there were 
those who held the doctrine of the Nicholai* 
tans^ ver. 15. 



THE CERINTH1ANS AND EBIONITES. 

These also lived in the time of the Apostle 
John. The practice of eating things offered 
to idols, or of offering the sacrifice to the 
idol and then eating it, had become customary 
among the followers of Cerinthus, who wished 
to retain a little of the old idolatry. 

Cerinthus lived in the time of the emperor 
Domitmn : his doctrines were much the same 
as those taught by Nicholas and Carpocrates. 
They admitted only the gospel of Matthew, 
and denied the divinity of Christ. Agreeably 
to the above authorities, they belonged to 



The Sabellians. 



the church of Thyatira, which suffered them 
to remain with them, through the influence of 
Jezebel, zcho seduced them to eat things offered 
unto idols. Rev. ii. 20. i. e. to join idolatry to 
Christianity. 

From these a number of sects sprang up, 
varying but little either in doctrine or practice ; 
till the heresy of Sabellius made its appear- 
ance at the beginning of the third century. 



THE SABELLIANS 



Taught that there was but one person in the 
% Godhead, and that this was the Father. They 
believed that the Father suffered,, and were on 
that account called 

PATRIPASSIANS, 

W ho personified the Father, or divine 
essence. 



ANTHBOPOMORPHITES. 



This is a compound word from the Greek, 
signifying the form of man. This sect 
appeared in the early ages of the Christian 
church. They believed that God was in the 
form of man, a nd were on that account called 
Anthropomorphites. 

They were first called Audiani, from 
Audeus their leader, who lived in the time of 
the emperor Valentinian, 340 years after 
Christ. 

It would answer no valuable purpose to 
notice the little variations of those, who 
attempted to differ from the generally received 
doctrine and practice of the church. When 
this was done, though but of a trifling nature, 
it was only sanctioned by the name of the 
inventor, who by it obtained notice ; yet all the 
trifling variations have by some writers been 
magnified into sects. I therefore pass over 



Avians or Unitarians. 



185 



these, who, as above observed, varied in so 
trifling a manner from the Nicholaitans, Car- 
pocratians, Cerinthians, and Ebionites, as not 
to be worthy of notice : they were individuals 
lost in the great body of the true professors of 
Christianity. 

For the first three hundred years after 
Christ, or until the time of the famous council 
of Nice, nothing of importance arose to dis- 
turb the unity of the church. Then it was that 
Arius published his opinions ; and a schism 
being thus made, separation ensued, and new 
opinions generated different sects. From this 
period we must necessarily date the beginning 
of those distinctions, which have taken place in 
the church of Christ. 



ARIAXS OR UNITARIANS 



Were so named from Arius, a priest of Alex- 
andria, who published his opinions at the 



186 Avians or Unitarians. 



beginning of the fourth century; which so 
disturbed the church, that a grand council was 
convened at Nice, of nearly all the bishops of 
Asia, Africa, and Europe. Alius held the 
following opinions : 

He denied the existence of three persons in 
the divine nature ; the divinity of Christ ; and 
that we are to be saved by our own works. 
He believed that Christ existed before the 
incarnation ; that he w as the beginning of the 
creation of God; that by him God made the 
worlds; and through him communicated his 
will to man. He believed that Christ is supe- 
rior to the highest cherubim and seraphim ; but 
that the Supreme Being only is the object of 
prayer and adoration. 



Having said as much as is necessary con- 
cerning those sects alluded to in Scripture, and 
by the first Fathers of the Christian church, I 



The Greek Church. 



187 



shall now begin with the sects which imme- 
diately appeared after the Nicene council; and 
conclude by defining the doctrines of the dif- 
ferent sects of the Christian religion ; as they 
are at this day held forth in Europe. 



THE GREEK CHURCH. 



The Greek Church w as so called because, 
after the dispersion of the Jews, the Scriptures 
were read in Greek : for as the Jews only were 
in possession of the Hebrew language ; and the 
Greek language being then spoken and under- 
stood among all the nations of the Grecian 
empire ; the Septuagint translation was intro- 
duced; and the Gospels, which were originally 
written by the Apostles in Syriac, the language 
of their country, were translated into the Greek 
tongue. This appears to have been confirmed 
by the Apostle Paul, as we cannot suppose 



188 



The Greek Church. 



that he wrote his epistle to the Hebrews in 
Greek, a language which the great mass of the 
people did not understand But the time, when 
it began to be generally known by this appel- 
lation, was when Constantine the Great turned 
Christian at the beginning of the fourth 
century. 

The faith and worship of the Greek church 
is professed by many of the eastern nations, 
and it is the established form of religion through- 
out the Russian empire. They use the litur- 
gies of Basil and Chrysostom ; the service is 
read in ancient and modern Greek ; and in some 
places they read it in the Sclavonian tongue. 
The churches subject to the patriarch of Con- 
stantinople are, the Russian, Georgian, 
and Mingrelian. The eastern churches 
not subject to the patriarch of Constantinople, 
are the Armenian, and the Nestorian : 
the Abyssinian, Coptic, and Jacobite. 
Monophysists are also subject to the same 
patriarch, but differ from the Armenian and 
Nestorian churches ; because they believe the 
word Monophysist, which is so called from 



The Greek Church. 



189 



povog, solus, and <pv<ri$, natura, signifies, that 
there is only one nature in Christ. The patri- 
arch of Constantinople governs the church 
with an authority similar to that, which has 
been exercised by the Roman pontiffs. The 
next dignitaries in order after the patriarch, 
are the Metropolitans. The number of the 
Metropolitans was originally seventy-two, after 
the manner of the Sanhedrim of the Jews. 
The bishops are subject to the Metropolitan. 

They retain the custom of the Greek fathers, 
Basil and Chrysostom, of reading the liturgy 
in the Greek language. 1 he sacrament they 
administer in both kinds, viz. the bread is mixed 
with the wine, which is given together with 
the words, hoc est corpus meum, ' this is my 
body: 

They taught that the traditions of the church 
are of equal authority with the scriptures. That 
the Patriarch and his Synod have authority to 
interpret the scripture, and that their interpre- 
tation is infallible. This authority seems to 
be acknowledged at present, for Peter the 



190 The Greek Church. 



Great of Russia, applied for, and obtained, the 
sanction of the Patriarch of Constantinople. 
They have great faith in auricular confession, 
but the form of absolution is deprecative only, 
thus, may God absolve you. They al- 
low their priests to marry once. They teach 
that we cannot be justified by faith alone, but 
in conjunction with works agreeably to the 
words of James. Show me thy faith without 
thy works, and I will show thee my faith by 
ray zvorks. The Greek church deny the su- 
premacy and the infallibility of the Pope. 
They receive the decrees of the first seven 
general councils, viz. Nice, in the year 325. 
Constantinople, in 381. Ephesus, in 431. 
Chalcedon, in 451. Constantinople, in 553. 
Constantinople, in 680. Nice, in 787. 
These they receive as the rule of faith. They 
believe that the holy spirit proceeds from the 
father only. 

As to the notions of a few individuals at 
this period of the church, they were not wor- 
thy of notice; and though they have been mag- 
nified into sects by some writers, because of a 
little variation in doctrine or practice, such as 



The Nestor ians. 



191 



the Xestorians, from Nestorius, the patriarch 
of Constantinople, 400 years after Christ. 
Pelagians, from Pelagius, a Britain, 382. 
Jacobites, r>75. Marcionites, Coptics, Ophites, 
Cainites, Adamites, Theodotians, Melchi- 
zedekians, Noetians, Origenians, Samosa- 
tenians, Tertullians, &c. &c. yet they were 
known in the church as differing in some es- 
sentials ; but they were so few in number, com- 
pared with the great body of the church, that 
it would be improper to call them sects: it 
would only be a waste of time and paper, to 
introduce their variations ; they may be seen in 
the writings of the Christian fathers. But the 



NESTOItlANS 



At this day are very numerous in the east. 
They believe, " that in Christ were two distinct 
persona, viz. the Son of God, and the Son of 
Man/, That the son of God at the baptism 
of Christ descended into the son of Mary, and 
dwelt there ; therefore they do not call the vir- 



\Q& The Roman Catholic Church. 



gin Mary Qsotoxov i the mother of God, but 
XpioTOToxov ' the mother of Christ/ 



THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 

Has been called the Latin Church, be- 
cause they read the service in Latin. The 
supreme head is the Pope ; the next in order, 
as dignitaries, are the cardinals ; but they have 
not any authority in the hierarchy, or govern- 
ment of the church ; it rests with the pontiff in 
council. 

The members are bound to believe that 
" this church is always one, by all its members 
professing one faith, in one communion, under 
one chief pastor, succeeding the apostle Peter, 
to whom Christ committed his flock." 

They believe that " with this church the 
scriptures both of the old and new Testament 



The Roman Catholic Church. 193 



were deposited by the .Apostles. That she is, 
in her pastors, the guardian and interpreter or 
them. That these scriptures thus interpreted, 
together with the traditions of the Apostles, 
are to be received and admitted by all Christ- 
ians for the rule of their faith and practice/' 

That there are seven sacraments, instituted 
by Christ in this church, which are instrument- 
al causes of divine grace in the soul, viz. 
Baptism, by which they are made children 
of God, and washed from sin. 

Confirmation, by which they receive 
the Holy Ghost by the imposition of the hands 
of the priest. 

The Eucharist, which feeds and nour- 
ishes the soul with the real body and blood 
of Christ, really present under the forms 
of bread and wine, or under either of them. 

Penance, by which penitent sinners are 
absolved from their sins, by virtue of the com- 
mission given by Christ to his ministers. 



194 The Roman Catholic Church. 



Extreme Unction, which Avipes away 
the relics of sin, and arms the soul with the 
grace of God, in the time of sickness. 

Holy Orders^ by which the ministers 
of God are consecrated. 

Matrimony, which is a sacred sign of the 
indissoluble union of Christ with his church. 

They believe that at the sacrifice of the mass 
the real body of Christ is offered, that 
he is " here both priest and victim represent- 
ing in person his death and passion to his father. 
That in this sacrament he is verily and in- 
deed present, that here is his body and 
blood, soul and divinity." That there 
is no difference between the offering of the 
mass, and the offering of the cross, but in the 
manner of the offering, as Christ offered him- 
self upon the cross, as really to shed his blood 
and die for us ; whereas now, he does not 
really shed his blood nor die any more ; and 
therefore this is called an unbloody sacri- 
fice, and that of the cross a bloody sacri 
fice. 



The Roman Catholic Church. 195 



They administer the sacrament to the peo- 
ple in one kind only in the form of a water, 
under the appearance of bread, but the priest 
receives in both kinds. At the consecration of 
the bread, he pronounces the words, hoc est 
enim corpus meum, this is truly my body. 
And at the consecration of the wine, he pro- 
nounces the words, hie est enim calix sangui- 
nis mei, this is truly my blood. 

They are taught to believe, and by an act 
of faith declare at the altar, the words follow- 
ing, " I most firmly believe, that in this holy 
sacrament thou art present verily and indeed ; 
that here is thy body and blood, thy soul 
and thy divinity : I believe that thou my Sa- 
viour, true God, and true Man, art really here ; 
that here thou communicates*, thyself to us." 
This is confirmed in their Instructions and 
Devotions jor Communion, p. 241. viz. Ci The 
person that is to receive the blessed sacrament 
must be also fasting, at least from midnight, 
by the command of the church, and by a most 
ancient and apostolical tradition ordaining that, 
in reverence to so great a sacrament, nothing 



196 The Roman Catholic Church. 



should enter into the body of a Christian before 
the body of Christ. Hence, if through inad- 
vertence, or otherwise, a person has taken any 
thing, though never so little, after twelve 
o'clock at night, he must by no means receive 
that day." Thus they believe, that, at the con- 
secration of the elements, when the priest has 
pronounced the words, this is truly my body, 
that the bread is truly and unequivo- 
cally changed into the literal flesh of 
Christ; and that when he has pronounced 
the words, this is truly my blood, that the 
wine is truly and without any figure 
changed into the literal blood of Christ. 
That when the priest holds up the bread, and 
pronounces the words, Ecce Agnus Dei, qui 
toilit peccatum mundi, behold the Lamb of 
God, that taketh away the sins of the world, 
they verily profess to believe that the bread is the 
Lamb of God without any figure of speech 
whatever ; and when the priest gives it to the 
people, they are thus taught : " At the time of 
your receiving let your head be erect, take up 
the towel and hold it before you, your mouth 
opened moderately wide, and your tongue a 



The Roman Catholic Church. 197 



little advanced, so as to rest upon your under 
lip, that the priest may conveniently convey 
the blessed sacrament into your mouth ; which 
being done, shut your mouth, let the sacred 
host moisten a little upon your tongue, and 
then swallow it down as soon as you can, and 
afterwards abstain awhile from spitting. If 
the host should chance to stick to the roof of 
your mouth, be not disturbed, neither must you 
put your finger into your mouth to remove it, 
but gently and quietly remove it with your 
tongue." 

When I was writing on this subject,, I had 
some doubts whether they did not mean that 
this change was figuratively to be understood 
by faith, and therefore I waited on their priests 
to gain as plain a definition as possible. 
They informed me that their belief was per- 
fectly consistent with what was said in their 
manual, and that they believed when the priest 
pronounced the words at the consecration, that 
the bread was as literally the flesh of Christ, 
as the flesh on my bones was flesh ; and that 



198 The Roman Catholic Church. 



the wine was as literally the blood of Christy 
as the blood in my veins was blood. 

They believe that the angels, and particu- 
larly those who are recorded in their calendar 
of saints, have a peculiar interest with God to 
intercede in their favor, and therefore in what 
they call, the confiTeor, they thus pray to 
thein, "I confess to Almighty God, to blessed 
Mary ever virgin, to blessed Michael the arch- 
angel, to blessed John the baptist, to the holy 
apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, 
that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, 
and deed, through my fault, through my fault, 
through my most grievous fault : therefore I 
beseech thee, blessed Mary ever virgin, the 
blessed Michael the archangel, the blessed 
John the baptist, the holy apostles Peter and 
Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord 
God for me; may the Almighty God have 
mercy on me, and forgive me my sins, and 
bring me to everlasting life, amen. May the 
almighty and merciful Lord give me pardon, 
absolution, and remission of all my sins, 
amen." 



The Roman Catholic Church. 199 



When they implore the prayers of the Virgin 
Mary and of the saints, they say this prayer, 
u O all ye blessed angels and saints of God, 
who see him face to face, whom I here receive 
under these humble veils ; and thou most 
especially, ever blessed virgin, mother of this 
same God and Saviour, in whose sacred womb 
Jie was conceived and borne for nine months ; 
1 most humbly beg the assistance of your 
prayers and intercession, that I may in such 
manner receive him here, in this place of ba- 
nishment, as to be brought one day to enjoy 
him with you in our true country, and there to 
praise him and love him for ever/' 

[n one of their litanies which they call THE 

LITANY OF OUR LADY OF LoRETTO, they 

Miig as an anthem, the following, " We fly 
to thy patronage, O holy mother of God, 
despise not our petitions in our necessities, but 
deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious 
and blessed virgin. Lord have mercy on us, v Sec. 
In their addresses to her, they dignify her with 
the following titles. u Holy Mary, Holy 
Mother of God, Holy Virgin, of Virgins, 



200 The Roman Catholic Church. 



Mother of Christ, Mother of Divine Grace, 
Mother Most Pure, Mother Most Chaste, 
Mother Undefiled, Mother Untouched, Mo- 
ther Most Amiable, Mother Most Admirable, 
Mother of our Creator, Mother of our Re- 
deemer, Virgin Most Prudent, Virgin Most 
Venerable, Virgin Most Renowned, Virgin 
Most Powerful, Virgin Most Merciful, Virgin 
Most Faithful, Mirror of Justice, Seat of 
Wisdom, Cause of Joy, Spiritual Vessel, 
Vessel of Honor, Vessel of Singular Devotion, 
Mystical Rose, Tower of David, Tower of 
Ivory, House of Gold, Ark of the Covenant, 
Gate of Heaven> Morning Star, Health of the 
Weak, Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the 
Afflicted, Help of Christians, Queen of An- 
gels, Queen of Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets, 
Queen of Apostles, Queen of Martyrs, Queen 
of Confessors, Queen of Virgins, Queen of 
all Saints, pray for us." 

The council of Trent decreed that " all 
bishops and pastors who have the cure of souls, 
do diligently instruct their flocks, that it is good 
and profitable to desire the intercession of 



The Roman Catholic Church. 201 



saints reigning with Christ in Heaven/' and 
which is to this day strictly observed. The 
following is extracted from their manual, in 
the litany w here they thus address their saints : 
" Holy Mary, Holy Mother of God, Holy 
Vifgm of Virgins, St. "Michael, St. Gabriel, 
St. Raphael, All ye holy angels and archan- 
gels, all ye holy orders of blessed spirits. St. 
John Baptist, St. Joseph, all ye holy patri- 
archs and prophets. St. Peter, St. Paul, St. 
Andrew, St. James, St. John, St. Thomas, 
St. James, St. Philip, St. Bartholemew, St. 
Matthew, St. Simon, St. Thadee, St. Mat- 
thias, St. Barnaby, St. Luke, St. Mark, All 
ye holy apostles and evangelists ; all ye holy 
disciples of our Lord; all ye holy innocents. 
St. Stephen, St. Laurence, St. Vincent, St. 
Fabian, and St. Sebastian, St. John, and 
Paul, St. Cosmas, and Damian, St. Gervase 
and Protase, All ye holy martyrs. St. Syl- 
vester, St. Gregory, St. Ambrose, St. Au- 
gustine, St. Jerome, St. Martin, St. Nicholas, 
All ye 'holy bishops and confessors; all ye 
holy doctors. St. Anthony, St. Bennet, St. 
Bernard, St. Dominick, St. Francis, All 



202 The Roman Catholic Church. 



ye holy priests and Levites ; all ye holy monks 
and hermits. St. Mary Magdalene, St. Agatha, 
.St. Lucy, St. Agnes, St. Cecily, St. Catherine, 

St. Anastasia, Jill ye holy virgins and widows ; 
all ye men and women , saints of God, make 

INTERCESSION FOR US." 

They believe in the necessity of confes- 
sion and absolution. Here follows 
the method of confession, as it stands in their 
manual: "The penitent kneeling down, at 
the side of his ghostly father, makes the sign of 
the cross and asks his blessing. Pray father 
give me your blessing, for I have sinned. 
Then he says the confiteor in Latin, or in 
English, as far as mea culpa, through my fault. 
After this he accuses himself of his sins, either 
through the order of God's commandments, or 
such other order, as he finds most helpful to 
his memory, adding after each sin, the number 
of times that he has been guilty of it, and such 
circumstances as may considerably aggravate 
the guilt; but carefully abstaining from such as 
are impertinent or unnecessary, and from ex- 
cuses and long narrations. " 



The Roman Catholic Church. 203 



u After he has confessed all that he can re- 
member, he concludes with this or the like 
form. For these and all other my sins, which 
I cannot at this present call to my remembrance, 
I am heartily sorry, purpose amendment for 
the future, most humbly ask pardon of God, 
and penance and absolution of you my ghostly 
father. And so he may finish his confiteor, 
and then give ear to the instructions and advice 
of the confessor. The priest then pronounces 
absolution, saying, I absolve thee. This 
is not conditional, or declaratory, but absolute 
and judicial. Auricular confession was first 
decreed in the fourth council of Lateran, under 
Innocent III. in 1215." 

" Whilst the priest gives him absolution, let 
him bow down his head, and with great hu- 
mility, call upon God for mercy, and beg of 
him that he would be pleased to pronounce the 
sentence of absolution in Heaven, whilst his 
minister absolves him on earth." 

" Let him be careful to perform his penance 
in due time, and in a penitential spirit." 



£04 The Roman Catholic Church. 



They do not allow those who are in their 
communion, ever to go to any other place of 
worship, which they call " denying their reli- 
gion." And in their examination before they 
go for absolution, the following question is 
asked, p. 211. "Have you by word or deed 
denied your religion ; or gone to the churches 
or meetings of heretics, so as to join any way 
with them in their worship ? or to give scan- 
dal? how often r >? 

They do not allow their priests to marry ; 
this is a law of the church, which they ac- 
knowledge is not sanctioned by scripture. 
They say that he who has the care of souls, 
ought not to be encumbered with the troubles 
of domestic life, but in all things that he should 
be devoted to God. Pope Gregory VII. 
about the year 1073, first enjoined this at 
Rome. He also established it in England, 
by Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury. 

With regard to the primary doctrines of this 
church, they say that man cannot be justified 
Iff faith alone, and that a genuine faith cart 



The Roman Catholic Church. L 105 



only be known by good works, agreeably to 
the words of the apostle, shozc me thy faith 
without thy works, a)id I zcill show thee my 
faith by my works. 

Concerning the infallibility of the Pope, 
they believe that he may err in matters which 
relate to private opinion, depending on the 
testimony of man, as a private doctor ; but that 
he cannot err when, in a general council, he 
makes decrees of faith, or general precepts. 

They do not admit that they worship images 
so as to adore them, but they keep them to 
preserve the remembrance of the object. Nor 
do they allow that they v.orship the Virgin 
Mary. They say that they revere her, and 
think this is according to scripture, because 
it is written, Hail thou that art highly favored, 
the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among 
women. Luke eh. i. £8. and again, v. 48. From 
henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 

They make a distinction between mediator, 
and intercessor. They believe in one mediator 



206 



The Roman Catholic Church. 



concerning redemption, but that we may have 
many mediators for intercession. Thus they 
inform us that Moses was an intercessor for 
the Hebrews, J ob for his friends ; that when 
prayers are offered for the sick, the congrega- 
tion are looked up t& as intercessors, agreeably 
to the apostle James, ch. v. 14. 15. 16. Is any 
sick among you f let him call for the elders of 
the churchy and let them pray over him, anoint- 
ing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and 
the Lord shall raise him up ; and if he have 
committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 
Corf ess your faults one to another, and pray 
one for another, that ye may be healed: the 
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man 
availeth much. So in like manner they say, 
that they desire the blessed in Heaven to be 
their intercessors. 



MYSTERY OF THE NUMBER 666. 

Rev. xiii. 18. 



Many writers have supposed that the ac- 
count in Daniel respecting the image which 
was set up by Nebuchadnezzer, was a type of 
the papal power, and that the worship of that 
image leferred to the worship of the Roman 
Catholic church. Thus they have confirmed 
themselves in this opinion, from the passage 
in the Revelation, concerning the image and 
worship of the beast, v. 13. Here is wisdom, 
let him that hath understanding count the 
number of the beast, for it is the number of a 
man y and his number is six hundred, threescore 
and six. 

The sacred scripture in this passage does not 
say that we cannot fully understand this passage, 
which has been considered most difficult to 
comprehend; on the contrary, we are com- 
manded to attempt to gain a knowledge of it. 
Jn order therefore to show the fallacy of such a 



£08 Mystery of the Number 666. 



supposition as the above, I shall, notwithstand- 
ing many have been the attempts of commen- 
tators in all ages of the Christian church to 
develope this great mystery, add one to the 
list. And were I not constrained, by the exist- 
ing facts which had taken place in the time of 
John, to believe that this understanding and 
application of this passage was so understood 
by hirn, I should have been silent respecting 
this most abstruse, and important scripture. 

Rev. xiii. 15. 16. 17- 38. And he had power 
to give life to the image of the beast, that the 
image of the beast should both speak, and 
cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast, should be killed. And he 
causeih all both small and great, rich and 
poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their 
right hand, or in their foreheads; and that 
no man might buy or sell> save he that had 
the mark or the name of the beast, or the num- 
ber of his name. Here is zoisdom, let him 
that hath understanding count the number of 
the beast, for it is the number of a man, and 
his number is six hundred, threescore and six. 



Mystery of the Number 66b. £0y 



Some have imagined that this mystical num- 
ber relates to a king, some to a kingdom, and 
others to the pope. But the Revelation treats 
of the different states of the Christian churches, 
as appears from the second and third chapters, 
where the churches are particularly spoken of. 
For the last prepares the mind for what follows 
respecting the states of all the churches of Christ, 
not only the churches of -Asia, which were 
established in the time of the evangelists, but 
also of the states of all the Christian churches 
to the end of time, viz. He that hath an ear, 
let him hear what the spirit saith unto the 
churches. Had these words signified the 
churches of Asia only, it would have been 
written, let him hear what the spirit hath 
said unto the churches. I say, as this is a 
book which treats concerning the different 
states of the Christian churches, this mystical 
number which is said to be the number of the 
beast, and the number of a man, cannot relate 
to kings, kingdoms, or popes. 

The Revelation is a book, which was always 
understood by the fathers of the first Christian 



210 Mystery of the Number 666. 



churches to treat concerning spiritual things, 
or things relating to religion. And this pass- 
age plainly refers to the conquest and depopu- 
lation of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzer, when 
the true worship of God, the divine theocracy, 
with the communication by Urim and Thum- 
mim ceased in the year of the Julian period 
4115, when all the holy vessels of the house of 
the Lord, and the treasures of the kings 
house, were taken away by the monarch of 
Babylon, who cut in pieces all the vessels of 
Gold which Solomon king of Israel had made 
in the temple of the Lord ; and carried away 
all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the 
mighty men of valor captives, even ten thous- 
and, and all the craftsmen, and smiths ; none 
remained) save the poorer sort of the people of 
the land, 1 2nd Kings* 24. 

1 This ten thousand in the original relates to the prin- 
ces and all the mighty men, or the nobles, for we cannot 
suppose that the population of Jerusalem consisted of 
ten thousand only , when in the siege which took place 
eleven years after this period, 1,100,000 perished ; be- 
sides it is said when he took Jerusalem, and carried the 
people into captivity, with the king Jehoiakin, and the 
nobles, that he left none save the poorer sort of the people, 
of the land t 



Mystery of the Number 666. 2 1 1 



I say this number six hundred three 
score and six, comprehends the interval of 
time from the destruction of the first temple, 
and the captivity by Nebuchadnezzer, when 
the Urim and the Thummim, the Shechi- 
nah, or divine communication ceased, to the 
destruction of the second temple by the Ro- 
mans, with all the sacrificial worship, the over- 
throw 7 of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the 
nation, which was 666 years ; at the establish- 
ment of the Christian religion, when all these 
things, which were types, though they were 
given under the Mosaic dispensation, were 
restored by Christ, by whom the true spiritual 
L rim and Tliummim were to be communicated 
agreeably to the words of the inspired writer, 
let thy Tliummim and thy Urim be with thy 
holy one, the great high priest of God, the 
spiritual Melchizedek, the king of righteous- 
ness. 

r Ihat this number was thus understood and 
so applied by the evangelist is evident. If we 
subtract the year of the Julian period 411.5, 
at the destruction of the first temple, when the 



212 Mystery of the Number 666. 



divine communication ceased, from the year of 
the Julian period at the birth of Christ 47 11, 
the remainder is 596, the interval of time be- 
tween these two remarkable epochas ; then if 
to this remainder 596 we add 70 years of the 
Christian era, when Jerusalem and the temple 
were destroyed by the Romans, at the estab- 
lishment of the Christian religion, it gives us 
this mystical number 666. Comprehending 
that interval of time between the destruction of 
the first temple, when the visible divine 
communication ceased for ever — to the com- 
plete destruction of the SECOND TEMPLE, 
when the Christian dispensation was confirmed 
agreeably to those words of our Lord. Luke 
ix. 27. Bat I tell you of a truth, there be 
some standing here ? zohich shall not taste of 
death, till they see the kingdom of God, 
when the spiritual communication was given to 
the Gentiles at the destruction of Jerusa- 
lem, and the dispersion of the Jews, which is 
to endure for ever. So that this number has 
no reference to kings, kingdoms, nor popes, 
as has been supposed for many centuries ; but 
it refers to the time when the divine theocracy 



The Syrian Christian Churches, 8jc. 213 



ceased in the true visible church of 
God, among the Jews, to the establish- 
ment of the TRUE VISIBLE CHURCH OF 

God, by our Lord Jesus Christ, among 
the Gentiles. 



the 

syrian christian churches in india. 



Notwithstanding gross darkness seems to 
have covered the minds of the greatest part of 
the people of India, we find that the ancient 
Syrian Christian churches have settled there 
from the early ages of Christianity. I shall 
furnish the reader with a few extracts from 
Buchanan's Researches, who visited 
these churches by the permission and authority 
of the governor-general the Marquis Wellesley, 
who gave orders that every facility should be 
afforded him in the prosecution of liis inquiries. 



£14 The Syrian Christian 



He says, " When the Portuguese arrived, they 
were agreeably surprised to find upwards of a 
hundred Christian churches on the coast of 
Malabar. But when they became acquainted 
with the purity and simplicity of their worship, 
they were offended. ' These churches/ said 
the Portuguese, i belong to the Pope/ 6 Who 
is the Pope ?' said the natives, ' we never heard 
of him/ The European priests were yet more 
alarmed when they found that these Hindoo 
Christians maintained the order and discipline 
of a regular church under episcopal jurisdic- 
tion, and that for 1 300 years past they had 
enjoyed a succession of bishops, appointed by 
the patriarch of Antioch. 'We/ said they, 
c are of the true faith, whatever you from the 
west may be ; for we come from the place 
where the followers of Christ were first called 
Christians/" 

"When the power of the Portuguese became 
sufficient for their purpose, they invaded these 
tranquil churches, seized some of their clergy, 
and devoted them to the death of heretics. 
Then the inhabitants heard for the first time 



Churches in India. 



215 



that there was a place called the Inquisition, 
and that its fires had been lately lighted at Goa, 
near their own land. But the Portuguese 
finding that the people were resolute in de- 
fending their ancient faith, began to try more 
conciliatory measures. They seized the Syrian 
bishop, Mar Joseph, and sent him prisoner 
to Lisbon, and then convened a Synod atone 
of the Syrian churches called Diamper, near 
Cochin, at which the Romish archbishop 
Menezes presided. At this compulsory Synod, 
150 of the Syrian clergy appeared. They were 
accused of the following practices and opinions. 
That they had married reives ; that they owned 
but two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's 
supper; that they neither invoked saints, nor 
(corshipped images, nor believed in purgatory ; 
and that they had no other orders or names of 
dignity in the church, than bishop, priest, 
and deacon. These tenets they were called on 
to abjure, or to suffer suspension from all 
church benefices. It was also decreed that all 
the Syrian books on ecclesiastical subjects that 
could be found should be burned, 'in order/ 



£16 The Syrian Christian 



said the inquisitors, c that no pretended apos- 
tolical monuments may remain/ " 

"The churches on the sea coast were thus 
compelled to acknowledge the supremacy of 
the Pope, but they refused to pray in Latin, 
and insisted on retaining their own language 
and liturgy. This point they said they would 
only give up w ith their lives. The Pope com- 
promised with them ; they retain their Syriac 
language, and have a Syriac college. But the 
churches in the interior would not yield to 
Rome ; they proclaimed eternal war against 
the Inquisition : they sought the protection of 
the native princes who had always been proud 
of their alliance." 

He further says, " The first Syrian church I 
visited was at Mavelycar. 1 They had been 
often visited by Romish emissaries in former 
times, and they at first suspected that I be- 



1 This is a compound Hebrew word, literally, the 

corn-pasture. 



Churches in India. 217 



longed to that communion. They had heard 
of the English, but strangely supposed that 
they belonged to the church of the Pope in the 
west. They had been so little accustomed to 
see a friend, that they could not believe that I 
came with any friendly purpose. I had dis- 
cussions with a most intelligent priest, in 
regard to the original language of the four 
gospels, which he maintained to be Syriac ; 
and they suspected from the complexion of my 
argument, that I wished to weaken the evi- 
dences for their antiquity. 

The doctrines of the Syrian Christians are 
few in number, but pure, and agree in essential 
points with those of the church of England ; so 
that although the body of the church appears 
to be ignorant, and formal, and dead, there 
are individuals who are alive to righteousness ; 
who are distinguished from the rest by their 
purity of life, and are sometimes ceusured for 
too rigid a piety. 

The following are the chief doctrines of 
this ancient church : 

K 



l 2lS Syrian Christian Churches, 



1st. They hold the doctrine of a vicarious 
atonement for the sins of men, by the 
blood and merits of Christ, and of the justi- 
fication of the soul before God, by faith alone ^ 
in that atonement. 

(2nd. They maintain the Regeneration* 
or new birth of the soul to righteousness, by 
the influence of the spirit of God, which change 
is called in their books, from the Greek, the 
Meta-Noia, or change of mind. 

3rd. In regard to the Trinity, the creed of the 
Syrian Christians accords with that of St. 
Athanasius, but without the damnatory clauses. 
In a written and official communication to the 
English resident of Travancore, the Metropo- 
litan states it to be as follows : We believe in 
the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three per- 
sons in one God, neither confounding the 
persons, nor dividing the substance, one in 
three, and three in one. The Father generator, 
the Son generated, and the Holy Ghost pro- 
ceeding. None is before or after the other ; 
in majesty, honor, might, and power, co-equal ; 



AnabaptitU. - 219 



unity in trinity, and trinity in unity. That in 
the appointed time, through the disposition of 
the Father and the Holy Ghost, the Son ap- 
peared on earth for the salvation of mankind, 
that he was born of the Virgin Mary, through 
the means of the Holy Ghost, and was incar- 
nate God and man." 1 



ANABAPTISTS. 

They were so named because they re-bap- 
tised their converts, as the word signifies. This 
custom of re-baptising when of an adult age, 
is not modern. In the early ages of the 
church, Donatus, a famous minister, separated 
from the body of professors, and re-baptised 
those w ho were capable of making a profes- 
sion of their faith, after the manner of the 
eunuch. Acts viii. 3o. 36. 37. 38. Then 



1 See the Ophion; or the Theology of the Serpent and 
the Unity of God, just published, octavo. And the 
Biblical criticisms in the Classical and Biblical 
Journal. 



220 Particular and General Baptists. 



Philip opened his mouthy and began at the 
same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 
And as they went on their way, they came unto 
a certain water, and the eunuch said, see, here 
is water, zohat doth hinder me to be baptised? 
And Philip said, if thou believest with all 
thine heart, thoumayest. And he answered, 
and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the son 
of God. And he commanded the chariot to 
stand still : and they went down both into the 
water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and he 
baptised him. They also consider it a duty, 
because Christ and the Apostles set the exam- 
ple. Immersion was also a solemn ceremony 
in the Jewish church. 



PARTICULAR AND GENERAL BAPTISTS. 

Since the time of Calvin, the custom of 
re-baptising adults was for a long time con- 
fined to those of the Calvinistic persuasion; 



Pcedobaptists. . £21 



but of late years, many, who were not receivers 
of that doctrine, but who were strictly Armi- 
nians, embraced the same opinion respecting 
this ancient rite. There now was a necessity 
for a distinction between these two sects ; 
therefore the first, or those who believed in elec- 
tion, were termed particular baptists, 
and the other general baptists. 



pjedobaptists. 

By Paedobaptists are meant those, who bap- 
tised infants. These are not properly a sect, 
as all established churches, and all dissenters, 
who thus administer baptism, are so called. 

From the time of the first, schism of Arius, 
when all the Christian world was thrown into 
confusion, to the sixteenth century, so fruitful 
was the mind of Christian professors in gener- 
ating new opinions in religion, that govern- 



9S@ Lutherans. 



ments thought it prudent to put a stop to any 
thing of this nature, by enacting laws to prevent 
the like confusion in future. But it appears 
that wealth and power are dangerous acquisi- 
tions, when employed to regulate religion, and 
to direct the conscience. It has seldom been 
attended with happy consequences, except 
when guided by a power superior to man* 
Thus they introduced a number of things, 
which by the reformers were thought to be so 
inconsistent with the pure doctrines of the 
Christian religion, that Martin Luther, an 
Augustine friar, began to oppose the authority 
of the Roman pontiff; and his numerous fol- 
lowers were called after him. 



LUTHERANS. 

I have spoken of the Greek and Roman 
churches, when they were not subject to those 
charges which have been brought against them: 



Lutherans. 



viz. before any of those things were super- 
induced, which have given offence to other 
sects of Christians, such as bulls, indulgences, 

With a view to show that these things were ' 
neither consistent with the original profession 
of the Christian church, nor with the Script- 
ures, Martin Luther came forward, and 
declared war against the doctrines and prac- 
tice of the church of Rome. 

He taught, that man is not a free-agent , that 
he is justified by faith alone — and that though 
the faithful may sin, it is not imputed to them. 
He denied the supremacy and infallibility of 
the Pope; — that indulgences were not consistent 
with Scripture— he denied the merit of works — 
Transubstantiation — The mass — Auricular con- 
fession — Absolution — Purgatory — Orders — 
and Extreme Unction — being five out of seven 
of their sacraments. Hence began what is 
called the reformation from the errors of the 
church of Rome. Many of the higher orders, . 



~££4 



Moravians. 



as well as the generality of the people in 
several nations, became Lutherans. 



But it appears that some of Luther's con- 
verts did not think him infallible. A new sect 



These modern professors were called Mora- 
vians, because they first made their appearance 
in Moravia. They separated from the first 
Anabaptists, soon after the time of Calvin. 

They originally observed many of the out- 
ward acts of the Apostles, such as washing 
each other's feet, going bare-foot, and having 
all one property in common, after the manner 
of a sect, which arose 140 years after Christ, 
called the Apostolici, because they observed 
the acts of the Apostles. They are subject to 



sprung up out of the opinions held forth by 
him, called 



MORAVIANS. 



c ne supreme superintendant 




Moravians. 



225 



department. They are great encouragers of 
industry, and receive none into their connexion, 
but those who follow some occupation. They 
have also a supreme head in spirituals, who lays 
down the fundamental principles of their sect. 
They are industrious in making converts to 
their opinions, and think it their duty to convert 
the heathen to Christianity. On which account 
they send missionaries to various parts of the 
world to preach the Gospel. 

Count Zinzendorf, a German, about the 
year 1740, was the great supporter of the 
opinions of this sect of dissenters from the old 
Anabaptists of Moravia ; who were not called 
Moravians, because the first converts to his 
system were several Moravian families, as is 
asserted by some ; but were originally called, 
Fratres Legis Christi, Brethren of the Laze 
of Christ; and afterward Unitas Fratrum, 
the United Brethren, and the Moravian 
brethren 150 years before his time, and for the 
reasdti above given. 



Moravians. 



They believe in justification by faith alone, 
through grace, or favor ; they avoid saying any 
thing on particular redemption, and do not call 
themselves either Calvinists or Arminians. 
They think they are spiritually joined in the 
great family of those who love and fear God. 
The order of their church is episcopal, and 
they are very particular as to those who are to 
succeed as bishops. They think episcopal 
ordination perfectly consistent with the patri- 
archal and apostolic institutions, because it was 
the order in the patriarchal churches ; and the 
Apostle says, Acts i. 20. For it is written in the 
Psalms, let his habitation be desolate, and let 
no man dwell therein ; and his bishoprick let 
another take. Phil. L 1, to all the saints of 
Christ Jesus, who are at Philippi, with the 
bishops and deacons. 1 Tim. iii. 1. desire the 
office of bishop. 

In their deliberations, which are conducted 
by synods after the custom of the first Chris- 
tian churches, if any thing of very consider- 
able importance be brought forward, the 



Moravians. 



227 



result of which is doubtful, they have recourse 
to the ancient custom of deciding it by lot, 
which they think is consistent with the script- 
ure, Jonah i. 7. And they said every one to his 
fellow, come let us cast lots, that zee may know 
for zchose cause this evil is upon us ; so they 
cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Acts L 
26. the lot fell on Matthias. But whether 
this method b.e the same as was resorted to by 
the ancient Hebrews, or by the apostles, is not 
for me to determine in this work. I believe 
the Moravians are the only sect of Christians 
who attend to any thing of this nature. 

They think themselves peculiarly called to 
carry the gospel to the Heathen ; and in this 
labor they have succeeded to admiration m 
almost every part of the world. 



ANTITRXNITAKIANS. 



These revived the opinions of\ the Arians, 
Samosatenians, who denied the existence of a 
trinity of persons in the divine nature. 



THE ANTINOMIANS 

Are so called from dvr), against, and vopog, 
the law, because they reject the law. They 
are also by some called Solefidians, from solus, 
alone, and fides, faith ; and affirm that nothing 
is required ; but faith, which is held forth in the 
gospel. That neither good works, nor evil 
works, can forward, or prevent eternal happi- 
ness : as those who have faith cannot sin, let 
them do what they will. They took their rise 
from Agricola at the beginning of the six- 



Calvinists. 



229 



teenth century ; and they made their appear- 
ance in England at the beginning of the seven- 
teenth century. These and a great many 
more of less note are mentioned in the writings 
of Florimundus Raymundus de Origine Heres. 



CALVINISTS 



Were so denominated from John Calvin, 
one of the reformers in the sixteenth century. 
But there were professors of this description 
in the Christian church at a very early period, 
about the year' 380, who were called Predes- 
tinati. And in the ninth century the followers 
of the German monk, Godescalus, were called 
after these first professors, Predestinaricuis. 
They taught that God, who must necessarily 
know all things before he created man, decreed 
those things which should come to pass ; and 
that to deny this would be to allow that there 



230 



Calvinists* 



was a power superior to him, by whom these 
things were ordained : therefore they held that 
his purposes and decrees were eternal, as no- 
thing future can be predicated concerning him. 

Calvin taught that God predestinated a cer- 
tain number to eternal life before the founda- 
tion of the world, independent of any merit in 
themselves. That his grace which operates in 
them irresistibly, against the power of their 
own will, forces them to accept the terms of 
salvation by Christ: this they call irresistible 
grace. 

The principal tenets of Calvinism have beeR 
called, the Jive points, viz. Predestination, 
original sin, particular redemption, irresist- 
ible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. 
But there is no necessity for these distinction* ; 
there is no difference between particular re- 
demption, irresistible grace, the perseverance 
of the saints, and predestination ; for predesti- 
nation comprehends them all. Whoever are 
predestinated are also particularly redeemed, 
are to have irresistible grace, and must of 



Calvinists. 



231 



necessity persevere to the end. So that these 
five points, which were so called by the Synod of 
Dorr., are properly resolved into two points,, 
viz. predestination, and original sin. 

That all who were not thus elected before 
the foundation of the world, God has been 
pleased to reject, and that in his eternal coun- 
cil he separated them from the elect vessels of 
mercy, as monuments of his wrath, to satisfy 
his offended justice. 

Others of the Calvinists have been more mo- 
derate, and have held that God was always as 
a tender father, reconciled to man ; but that 
man, who loved darkness rather than light, 
because his deeds ,were evil, was not reconciled 
to God. And in proof of this they quote 2nd 
Cor. v. 18. And all things are of God, 
who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus 
Christ. And again, ver. 20. Now then zee are 
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did 
beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's 
tiead, be ye reconciled to God. 



232 



Presbyterians, 



Calvin condemned the doctrines and prac- 
tice of the church of Rome, respecting the 
invocation of saints, the worship of images, 
purgatory, confession, prayers for the dead. 



PRESBYTERIANS 

Also believe in election and reprobation. 
They are so called from npzafivrepos, 'an elder \ 
because they hold that the first Christian 
churches were governed by presbyters and 
elders, which kind of government they have 
adopted. They believe that the authority to 
preach and minister is given by the imposition 
of the hands of the presbytery, who are the 
general body of the ministers in an assembly, 
all possessing equal powers, equal offices, and 
equal honors ; consequently, that a presbyter is 
the highest order in the church of Christ. 



Socinians. 



They pray standing, after the manner of the 
Agoniclytce in the eighth century. 

About fifty years after Luther, and Calvin, 



THE SOCIN1ANS 



Made their appearance. They took this 
name from Faustus Socinus, an inhabitant of 
Sienna in Tuscany. Their principal doctrines 
are these. That there is no original sin in us, 
as it signifies an imperfection in nature. That 
we have a free-will to good, and that it is in 
our power to fulfil the law. That the cause 
of election and reprobation are not from God, 
but in ourselves, and that he doth uot predesti- 
nate any person to salvation. That God could 
pardon our sins without satisfaction. That 
Christ by his death did not satisfy for us, but 
only obtained power for us to satisfy for 
ourselves, by faith and obedience. That the 
incarnation of Christ is contrary to reason. 
That there is not a trinity of persons in one 
God. That Jesus Christ was no more than 



234 



Socimans. 



man, the natural son of Joseph and Mary, and 
that he had no existence before his birth. 
That on account of these very extraordinary 
things which were to be done for the churchy 
the Almighty translated him to Heaven, by 
that divine power which they call the holy 
spirit, and opened to him his divine will re- 
specting man. That he descended to pro- 
mulgate the divine truths he had received, and 
thus became under God the founder of the 
religion, which was called after him the 
Christian religion. That the Holy Ghost is 
not a distinct person, and that the father only 
is God. They deny the atonement, and the 
imputed righteousness of Christ, and thus infer 
that he only set before men an example of 
virtue and true religion. 

These opinions were propagated in the early 
ages of the apostolic church by the Ebionites, 
by the Carpocratians in the second century, 
and in the third century by the followers of 
Paul of Samosata, who were called Samosa- 
tenians; also in the fourth century by Photinus, 
a bishop of Galatia. 



The ancient Armenian Church. 235 



Modern Socinians have, however, rejected 
the name of Socinian, as being too modern, 
and h*ve called themselves Unitarians, 



THE ANCIENT ARMENIAN CHURCH. 



The history of the Armenian church is very 
interesting. Of all the Christians in central 
Asia, they have withstood the persecutions of 
the Mahometans, even w hen the seven churches, 
who had the immediate communication with 
the apostle, almost exhausted by suffering and 
death, had at length been compelled to receive 
the religion of the impostor at the point of 
the sword. u The Armenians have maintained 
their independence, their ancient scripture, 
doctrines, and worship, to this day." 1 Their 



1 Christian Researches, p. 239, 



8-36 



Modern Arminians. 



proper country is Armenia, from whifch they 
are called Armenians, 

Armenia is under the Persian government, 
and professes to be of the ancient patri- 
archal church, which first received the New 
Testament translated into the Greek after the 
dispersion of the Jews. Dr. Buchanan in 
his Christian Researches in Asia, says, " The 
Bible was translated into the Armenian lan- 
guage in the fifth century, under very auspici- 
ous circumstances. It has been allowed by 
competent judges of the language, to be a 
most faithful translation: La Croze calls it, 
queen of versions" 



M O D E 11 N ARMINIANS. 



By the term Arminians here is not to be 
understood the people of Armenia, who are 



Modern Arminians. 



237 



of the Greek church, and have their own pa- 
triarchs, because Christian sects do not take 
their denomination from the country they in- 
habit. 

They M ere a sect so called from Arminius, 
who was a divine of Leyden, and in 1605, he 
caused a separation from the Calvinists. They 
believe in free-will ; they believe that man has 
a power to resist the offers of mercy, and that 
election to eternal life is grounded in the will 
of God to save such, as he knows will believe 
and continue in obedience ; consequently, that 
reprobation is only the result of his fore-know- 
ledge concerning those, who live and die in 
violation of the precepts of the sacred scrip- 
tures. That though Christ by his temptations, 
sufferings, and death, made an atonement for 
all mankind, yet none but those, who were 
foreseen would be faithful to death, can possi- 
bly obtain everlasting life. 

That as every good and perfect gift cometh 
from the Father of Light, so they say that 
this divine grace is a gift, that man cannot 



$38 



Supralapsarians. 



have any merit, and that good works are of 
God only. But they likewise hold that this 
grace may be so resisted, and rejected by man, 
as to be ineffectual in procuring for him tha 
salvation of his soul. They also believe that 
those who have tasted the good word of God, 
and the powers of the world to come, who 
have been regenerate in heart and life, may 
finally fall from this state of grace and die in 
sin. Agreeably to those words of the apostle, 
But I keep under my body, and bring it into 
subjection, lest that by any means when I have 
preached to others, I myself shoidd be a cast- 
away. 



SUPRALAPSARIANS 



Also believe in the doctrine of predestina- 
tion. They are the most rigid of all those, 
who profess to receive the doctrine of election. 



Sublapsarians. 



239 



They hold that God had no other view 
than to magnify his attributes ; by the salva- 
tion of some, his mercy, and by the condemn- 
ation of others, his justice ; and therefore 
that he ordained the fall of man from eternity. 
But as this was also the belief of the ancient 
sect called the Predestinati, and as it is con- 
sistent with the belief of the modem professors 
of Calvinism, to that head I refer the reader. 



SUBLAPSARIANS 

Believe in the doctrine of predestination. 
But they hold that Adam was created in full 
liberty to stand or fall ; that by an abuse of that 
liberty, God permitted him to fall, and that 
all men having thus fallen in Adam, are eter- 
nally lost, except such as by the determinate 
council of God were predestinated to eternal 
life. 



THE PURITANS, 



About the same time that the Socinians be- 
gan to form themselves into a body, a sect 
arose in England, called Puritans. But 
this was only a new name for an old profess- 
ion. They were Calvinists, and the name 
Puritan was given, because like them they 
pretended to be purer than the professors 
of the day. Nevertheless they are said by re- 
spectable writers to have been an upright, 
and a sincere people. 



INDEPENDENTS 

Are so named, because as to their church- 
government, every congregation is independent 
of each other. They are neither subject to 
synods, assemblies, nor presbyteries ; but the 
elders of each congregation govern their own 
members. 



Independents. 



With regard to their opinions, they are much 
the same as the Calvinists, and the Presbyteri- 
ans. They allow all to preach who think 
themselves capable, and will not baptise any 
who are not of their own congregation. They 
receive the sacrament sitting, and will not com- 
municate with those who are of another per- 
suasion. 

They were not known as a body or sect, 
until the time of Elizabeth. They were called 
Puritans by way of reproach, because they 
were particular in inculcating a purer kind of 
life than the professors of the time. They 
were also stigmatised by the term Novatians, 
for as Novatius separated from the Pope, and 
the relaxed state of the church of Rome, so 
the Independents separated from the established 
church of England about the year 1580. 



QUAKERS. 

The Quakers arose in England about the 
time of Oliver Cromwell. George Fox, a 

h 



£42 



Quakers. 



man of unblamable life and conversation, 
born at Drayton in Leicestershire, was the 
first of this sect. 

They were so called in derision, because 
George Fox, when he was committed to 
Derby gaol for promulgating their principles 
openly, by preaching the necessity of the life 
of God in the soul, told the magistrates who 
committed him, to tremble at the word of the 
Lord. But that has passed away, and the 
term Quaker is become respectable. Yet 
they term themselves the Society of Friends. 
They address each other by their Christian 
name. 

They call those who preach, ministers. In 
their meetings they sit covered, except when 
at prayer, during which, the minister kneeling, 
they all rise, the men uncover their heads, and 
all remain standing till the prayer is ended, when 
they resume their former order, and again wait 
in silence. They believe that silent waiting 
for the secret influence of the spirit, is more 
consistent with the religion of the heart than a 
ceremonial, or formal order of worship ; 
that silent meetings are frequently more 
beneficial to their inward state of retirement. 



Quakers. 



243 



They believe in the fall of man, in the . 
coming of Christ in the flesh, and in all those 
things which are written in the scripture con- 
cerning him ; and that Christ is that light 
tyhich lighteth .every man that cometh into the 
world. They believe in immediate revelation, 
which is confirmed by 1st Cor. xii. 3. No 
man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by 
the Holy Spirit, and that the Father, Son, and 
Holy Spirit are one God. But they are 
averse to unnecessary inquiries into subjects 
which are above the limited ideas of finite 
beings, as not tending to increase vital godli- 
ness. That the righteousness of Christ is im- 
parted to the regenerate, to whom he is made 
zcisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, 
and redemption. 1st. Cor. i. 30. That we 
are justified if we follow and obey the 
teaching of the inward light. That the recep- 
tion of the inward light to the renewing of the 
heart is the true baptism, agreeably to those 
words. For John truly baptised with water; 
but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost. 
Acts i. 5. Thus they believe that water bap- 
tism is not essential : and that there are no 
visible sacraments required to be observed. 



£44 



Quakers. 



They do not believe in a partial cleansing 
from sin only, but that purity of heart is to be 
obtained in this life, agreeably to those words 
of John, If zoe confess our sins, he is faithful 
and just to forgive us our si?is, and to cleanse 
ns from all unrighteousness. 

As oaths are forbidden, they conform them- 
selves to this command, swear not at all. They 
have always been uniform in showing their ab* 
horrence of war, by undergoing great depriva- 
tions on that account, until government, con- 
vinced that they objected from conscien- 
tious motives, have included them in the act 
as exempt from military service, but oblige 
them to suffer distraint when they are chosen 
to serve in the militia. 

In like manner, they object to the payment 
of tythe, which they consider as a kind of 
spiritual oppression, suffer much in their pro- 
perty, and have sometimes been deprived of 
their liberty on this account. 

They hold that those who minister should do 
it without fee or reward, which was the opinion 
of a sect called the Albanenses, who arose in 
France in the eighth century. They say the 
gospel is neither to be bought nor sold, yet 



Quakers. 



245 



when their ministers travel, their expenses 
are sometimes defrayed. 

They believe that the letter only is not the 
rule to try the spirit, but they consider the 
scriptures as the rule of life, and as the test 
whereby doctrines must be proved; they 
believe also that when this outward rule is not 
made living in the heart, by that light which 
lighteth every man, which is Christ, the true 
word or anointed in the heart, the hope of 
glory, it remains a dead letter, agreeably to 
the Apostle. 2nd Cor. iii. 6. zvho hath made 
usable ministers of the nezv Testament, not of 
the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter 
killeth, but the spirit giveth life. To this 
spirit in his workings, motions, and dictates, 
they are taught to attend in profound silence, 
agreeably to these words of the prophet, Hab. 
ii. 20. The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the 
earth keep silence before him. On this ground 
it is that they have thought all formal, or cere- 
monial worship unnecessary, because it has a 
tendency to divert the mind from the one thing 
needful, viz. silently watching and waiting for 
the influence of the Holy Spirit, agreeably to 



Quakers. 



those words. Luke xi. 13. How much more 
shall your heavenly Father give the holy spirit 
to them that ask him. And 2nd Thess. iii. 5, 
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love 
of God, and into the patient waiting for 
Christ. That this inward influence is in per- 
fect agreement with the words of the prophet. 
Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I 
will make a nexso covenant with the house of 
Israel, and with the house of Judah, not 
according to the covenant that I made with 
their fathers in the day that I took them by the 
hdnd to bring them out of the land of Egypt, 
but this shall be the covenant that I will make 
with the house of Israel after those days, saith 
the Lord, I will put my law in their inward 
parts, and write it on their hearts. 

They recommend plainness in apparel, 
agreeably to the direction of the Apostle. 1st 
Tim. ii. 9- In like manner also that women 
adorn themselves in modest apparel, zciih shame- 
facedness, and with sobriety, not with broid- 
ered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array. 
They think it right, as it is consistent with 
scripture, to address each other in the singular. 



Quakers. 



047 



thee and thou. They allow of no distinction 
by way of pre-eminence, such as Sir; nor 
flattering titles, except they be such as are 
necessarily attached to situations in life as the 
king, prince, duke, &c, They avoid unmean- 
ing compliments, such as your most obedient 
humble servant, fyc. and when they separate, 
their custom is to use the expressive word, 
faYezceU. Their members either male or fe- 
male, who believe themselves called to the 
office of the ministry, are at liberty to minis- 
ter, but such are not recognised as preachers 
until they are acknowledged by the members 
of the meeting to which they belong. 

They justify the practice of women preach- 
ing on this ground, that as male and female 
are one in Christ, so the female has an equal 
right to minister. And from the words of the 
Apostle, Acts xxi. Q. And the same man had 
four daughters virgins, zcho did prophesy. 
Ch.ii. 17. But this is that which was spoken 
by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass 
in the last days (saith God) I will pour out 
of my spirit upon all flesh: and your so)is and 
daughters shall prophesy, and on my servants 



248 



Quakers. 



and on my handmaidens I will pour out in 
those days of my spirit, and they shall pro- 
phesy. Romans, ch. xvi. 1. I commend unto 
you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the 
church which is at Cenchrea. ver. 12. Salute' 
Tryphena and Tryphosa who labor in the Lord. 

But the Quakers are not the only sect of 
religious professors who have permitted wo- 
men to preach. The custom of women speak- 
ing, or preaching is very ancient. The 
Pepuzians in the second century soon after 
the time of the Apostle John permitted wo- 
men to fill the office of bishop, to preach 
and to administer the sacrament. But like the 
Acephali, who separated from the Eutychians 
460 years after Christ, the Quakers have 
neither bishop, priest, nor sacrament. 

To effect the salutary purposes of discipline, 
meetings were appointed, at an early period 
of the society, which, from the times of their 
being held, were called Quarterly-meetings. 
It was afterwards found expedient to divide the 
districts of those meetings, and to meet more 
frequently ; from whence arose monthly-meet- 
ings, subordinate to those held quarterly. At 



Quakers. 



249 



length, in 1669, a yearly-meeting was estab- 
lished, to superintend, assist, and provide rules 
for, the whole : previously to which, general 
meetings had been occasionally held. A 
monthly-meeting is usually composed of several 
particular congregations, situated within a 
convenient distance from each other. Its 
business is to provide for the subsistence of 
the poor, and for the education of their off- 
spring ; to judge of the sincerity and fitness of 
persons appearing to be convinced of the re- 
ligious principles of the society, and desiring 
to be admitted into membership ; to excite due 
attention to the discharge of religious and mo- 
ral duty ; and to deal with disorderly members. 
Monthly-meetings also grant to such of their 
members as remove into other monthly-meet- 
ings, certificates of their membership and con- 
duct ; without which they cannot gain member- 
ship in such meetings. Each monthly-meet- 
ing is required to appoint certain persons, 
under the name of overseers, who are to take 
care that the rules of their discipline be put 
in practice ; and when any case of complaint, 
or disorderly conduct; comes to their know- 



250 



Quakers. 



ledge, to see that private admonition, agree- 
ably to the gospel rule before mentioned, be 
given, previously to its being laid before the 
monthly-meeting. 

When a case is introduced, it is usual for a 
small committee to be appointed, to visit the 
offender, to endeavor to convince him of his 
error, and induce him to forsake and condemn it. 
If they succeed, the person is, by minute, 
declared to have made satisfaction for the 
offence ; if not, he is disowned as a member of 
the society. 

In disputes between individuals, it has long 
been the decided judgment of the society, that 
its members should not sue each other at law. 
It therefore enjoins all to end their differences 
by speedy and impartial arbitration, agreeably 
to rules laid down. If any refuse to adopt this 
mode, or, having adopted it, to submit to the 
award, it is the direction of the yearly-meet- 
ing that such be disowned. 

To monthly-meetings also belongs the al- 
lowing of marriages; for their society has 
always scrupled to acknowledge the exclu- 
sive authority of the priests in the solemni- 



Quakers, 



251 



zation of marriage. Those who intend 
to marry, appear together and propose their 
intention to the monthly-meeting ; and if not 
attended by their parents or guardians, produce 
a written certificate of their consent, signed in 
the presence of witnesses. The meeting then 
appoints a committee to inquire whether they 
be clear of other engagements respecting mar- 
riage ; and if at a subsequent meeting no ob- 
jections be reported^ they have the meeting's 
consent to solemnise their intended marriage. 
This is done in a public meeting for worship, 
towards the close w hereof the parties stand up, 
and solemnly take each other for husband and 
wife. A certificate of the proceedings is then 
publicly read, and signed by the parties, and 
afterwards by the relations and others as wit- 
nesses. Of such marriages the monthly-meet- 
ing keeps a record ; as also of the births and 
burials of its members. A certificate of the 
date, of the name of the infant, and of its 
parents, signed by those present at the birth, 
is the subject of one of these last mentioned 
records ; and an order for the interment, coun- 
tersigned by the grave-maker, of the other. 



£52 



Quakers. 

— 



The naming of children is without ceremony. 
Burials are also conducted in a simple manner. 
The body, followed by the relations and friends, 
is. sometimes, previously to interment, carried 
to a meeting, and at the grave a pause is 
generally made ; on both which occasions it 
frequently falls out, that one or more friends 
present have somewhat to express for the 
edification of those who attend : but no religi- 
ous rite is considered as an essential part of 
burial. 

Several monthly-meetings compose a quart- 
erly-meeting. At the quarterly-meeting are 
produced written answers from the monthly- 
meetings, to certain queries respecting the 
conduct of their members, and the meeting's 
care over them. The accounts thus received, 
are digested into one, which is sent, also in 
the form of answers to queries, by representa- 
tives, to the yearly-meeting. Appeals from 
the judgment of monthly-meetings, are brought 
to the quarterly-meetings ; whose business also 
it is to assist in any difficult case, or where 
remissness appears in the care of the monthly- 
meetings over the individuals who compose 
them. 



Quakers. 



253 



The yearly-meeting has the general superin- 
tendence of the society in the country in which 
it is established ;* and therefore, as the ac- 
counts which it receives discover the state of 
inferior meetings, as particular exigencies 
require, or as the meeting is impressed with a 
sense of duty, it gives forth its advice, makes 
such regulations as appear to be requisite, or 
excites to the observance of those already made ; 
and sometimes appoints committees to visit 
those quarterly-meetings which appear to be in 
need of immediate advice. Appeals from the 
judgment of quarterly-meetings are here finally 
determined ; and a brotherly correspondence, 
by epistles, is maintained with other yearly- 
meetings. 

In this place it is proper to add, that as they 
believe women may be rightly called to the 
work of the ministry, they also think that to 
them belongs a share in the support of their 
Christian discipline; and that some parts of 



1 There are seven yearly-meetings, viz. 1 London, to 
which come representatives from Ireland, 2 New-Eng- 
land, 3 New-York, 4 Pennsylvania and New-Jersey, 
j Maryland, G Virginia, 7 The Caroiinas and Georgia. 



254 



Quakers, 



it, wherein their own sex is concerned, devolve 
on them with peculiar propriety. Accordingly 
they have monthly, quarterly, and yearly, meet- 
ings of their own sex, held at the same time 
with those of the men ; but separately, and 
without the power of making rules : and it may 
be remarked that during the persecutions, 
which formerly occasioned the imprisonment 
of so many of the men, the care of the poor 
often fell on the women, and was by them 
satisfactorily administered. 

They do not think it necessary to be learned 
in order to acquire a knowledge of divine 
things, as they say, the true light will teach 
all who follow its dictates. By their gentle 
manners and quiet conduct, they have obtained 
much respect, and though they had the sole 
jurisdiction of the whole province of Pennsyl- 
vania, they never have persecuted others for a 
difference of opinion. It was a government 
established without arms ; by treaties made 
without oaths ; and that which is more to be 
admired as worthy of imitation by all govern- 
ments, and which will redound to their credit 
to the latest posterity, they never broke their 
treaties with the native Indians. 



Methodist?. 



255 



Even at this day, so high a veneration have 
the native Indians, who live in the back set- 
tlements, for these original settlers, that if 
any one travels through the Indian tribes in the 
habit of a Quaker, it is his best defence ; he 
travels secure, and meets with all <that hospi- 
tality, which the Christian religion so strongly 
inculcates towards those who are strangers in 
a strange land. 



METHODISTS 

Are properly understood to be those, who 
are followers of the Revd. John Wesley, who 
with several others at the university, spent 
their evenings in reading and expounding the 
the Hebrew and Greek originals. He was 
joined by his brother Charles Wesley, and 
soon afterward by the Reverend George 
Whitfield. 

The Methodists profess to hold the doc- 
trines of the church of England in their purity, 

4. 



256 



Methodists, 



therefore do not allow that they have separ- 
ated from her communion. 

John Wesley was a fellow of Lincoln Col- 
lege, Oxford ; a man of exemplary life, unaf- 
fected in his manners, without any austerity, 
or singularity in his deportment ; he was a true 
gentleman and a sincere Christian, He preached 
extemporary sermons, contrary to the custom 
of the ministers of the established church : he 
was at length prohibited from preaching in her 
pulpits, but we are informed in his Journal, 
that he had no desire or design to preach in 
the open air, till after this prohibition. 
From the plain and familiar manner in which he 
addressed his congregations, his preaching had 
a peculiar eifect on the people. This easy 
method of communicating his thoughts en- 
couraged others to follow his example. He 
then preached in rooms, and on the pressing 
invitation of Mr. Whitfield, followed his ex- 
ample, by preaching in the open fields. He 
was nevertheless at first averse to any one 
preaching but the clergy regularly ordained; 
how he was led to permit, and afterwards to 
encourage others to preach may be seen, in a 



Methodists. 



257 



work written by Mr. Benson, entitled, An 
Apology for the People called Methodists. 
Sect. o. Thus by degrees as they increased, 
and as necessity called for fresh supplies of 
preachers, he sent them to preach in different 
parts of the nation. 

But in order to keep them together, he 
-found it was necessary to establish certain rules, 
which he termed " The Rules of the United 
Society," see Apol. sec. S. He appointed 
one of the brethren to preach to them, and 
sent others to preach in the neighbouring villa- 
ges, w ; ho were called local preachers. A 
meeting was also appointed once a quarter, 
when the smaller societies within a few miles 
round a central town, which was esteemed the 
center of this little circuit, assembled there 
to join in what is termed a love-feast, after the 
custom of the first Christians. None but 
those joined in society are permitted to be 
present, unless they have notes from one of the 
preachers, signifying that they are proper per- 
sons, seriously inclined, to be admitted. At 
this time, all who feel themselves at liberty so 
to do, declare their experience. 



Methodists. 



It was found necessary, in order to watch 
over their moral conduct, to bring them to a 
closer union by appointing small parties of ten 
or twelve persons, which they called a class. 
One of this small assembly was fixed on to lead 
them, and he was in consequence called, the 
class-leader. They meet for one hour; the 
business of the leader is to give out a hymn ? 
to pray with them, to ask each concerning the 
spiritual state of his mind, and to reprove, 
encourage, and exhort them to proceed in the 
spiritual course, by endeavoring to keep a 
conscience void of offence both towards God 
and man. 

This wise leader found that this method suc- 
ceeded in binding them together in closer union; 
and in order to promote still further, their 
growth in piety, other meetings of a more 
select nature, each consisting of four or five, 
were established. The persons forming these 
were supposed to be more experienced in the 
spiritual warfare, than the major part of those 
who met in class. This was called a band, 
and these meetings, band-meetings. In these 
lesser associations, the men and women do not 



Methodists. 



259 - 



meet together, but each sex has two distinct 
bands,, the married and the unmarried. 

As all the societies, for some miles round 
the central town, formed one great society 
quarterly, so from the different bands, a con- 
siderable number assembled generally once a 
week after their evening seivice, called the 
body-band. By these methods, the increase 
was so considerable, and the subjects ; which re- 
quired deliberate investigation, so numerous, 
that it was found necessary to appoint a yearly 
meeting after the manner of the Quakers, 
which they call a conference. These confer- 
ences were held in different towns successively ; 
during the life of Mr . Wesley, at London, Bristol, 
Leeds, and Manchester ; but since his death, 
they have been held at Sheffield, and Liverpool. 
At these meetings he always presided, and did 
not usually permit any except the travelling 
preachers to confer, who each represented the 
societies in the circuit where he had been 
stationed the preceding year. 

The term Methodist was not first chosen by 
themselves, as may be seen in the Apology, 
above mentioned, sec. i. p. C4. from which I 



- 

260 Methodists. 



make the following extract. " This increas- 
ing strictness in their way of living, constancy 
in the use of the means of grace, and readi- 
ness to do every good work, drew down upon 
them still greater ridicule from the gentlemen 
of the university. Their common appellation 
now was, the Sacrament avians, the Godly 
Club j and by and by, they were termed Me- 
thodists. This last title was given them in the 
first instance, by a fellow of Merton College, 
in allusion to an ancient college of physicians 
at Rome, who were remarkable for putting 
their patients under regimen, and were there- 
fore termed Methodists." 

As a religious society, they are the most 
numerous in the kingdom ; the numbers now 
joined in Great Britain are 145,579 ; m A re ~ 
land 28,149; in the West Indies 1],890; in 
Nova Scotia 1,390; and in America 170,000; 
total 357,155. The number of preachers in 
Great Britain are 677 ; in Ireland 125 ; in the 
British dominions in America and the West 
Indies 40 ; total of preachers 842, all travell- 
ing preachers, by which is understood, those 
who are given up to the service of the ministry. 



% 

Methodists. 



26 1 



These numbers are taken from the minutes of 
the last conference held at Sheffield, July 29, 
181 J, being the sixty-eighth annual confer- 
ence. 

The Methodists have also of late years 
been called Arminians, from Arminius, who 
separated from the Calvinists in Holland, 
because they hold the doctrine of general 
redemption. This is one of their principal 
tenets. They reject the doctrine of final per- 
severance, and say that a person, be he ever 
so high in the regenerate life, may fall finally, 
and after all be a cast-away. 

They receive the doctrine of justification 
by faith as defined in the articles and homilies 
of the church of England. The nature of this 
justification is also explained by Mr. Wesley in 
his " Farther Appeal" p. 3. See also Mr. 
Benson's " Apology" p. 217 to 220. I ex- 
tract the following passage : " That works 
done before justification are not pleasant to 
God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in 
Jesus Christ, consequently that they partake 
of the nature of sin. That good works which 
are the fruits of faith, and follow after justifi- 



Methodists. 



cation, cannot put away our sins, yet are they 
pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ. 
That man is born in sin, and is by his own 
nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth 
always contrary to the spirit, and therefore in 
every person born into this world, it deserveth 
God's wrath and damnation. Repentance ab- 
solutely must go before faith : fruit meet for 
it, if there be opportunity. By repentance I 
mean conviction of sin, producing real desires, 
and sincere resolutions of amendment. By 
salvation, I mean, not barely deliverance from 
Hell, or going to Heaven, but a present 
deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul 
to its primitive health, its original purity; a 
recovery of the divine nature, the renewal of 
our souls in the image of God, in righteousness 
and true holiness, in justice, mercy and truth. 
This implies all heavenly tempers, and by 
consequence, all holiness of conversation. " 
p. 214. 

From which it appears they do not admit that 
faith can be genuine, unless it be accompanied 
by a life corresponding thereto; this they prove 
from the words of the Apostle James, show 



Methodists. 



263 



me thy faith without thy works, and I will 
show thee my faith by my works. 

Thus they agree with the doctrines of the 
church of England, and preach repentance, 
faith, and holiness of life, in conformity to those 
words of the Apostle, repentance toward God, 
and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and 
with the church, thus, " Repentance whereby 
we forsake sin, and faith whereby we steadfastly 
believe the promises of God." 

It must be universally allowed that they have 
been peculiarly useful in prevailing on a great 
part of the population of these kingdoms to 
forsake the error of their ways. They have 
been the means of making the dissolute, good 
husbands, good reives, affectionate parents, 
dutiful children, and faithful servants. They 
have conducted themselves in a peaceable 
manner, they are a charitable and an upright, 
people; and teach their converts to do justly, 
love mercy, and walk humbly with their 
God. 



ORIGIN OF THE NEW METHODISTS. 



The old Methodists are the genuine follow- 
ers of the Revd. John Wesley, who originally 
professed to belong to the cjiurch of England, 
(as above) and regularly received the sacrament 
in the parish churches, which was the practice 
of this pious leader to the day of his death ; 
for he did not permit it to be administered in 
the chapels. But after his demise, some of 
their people remonstrated with the preachers 
concerning the hardship and impropriety of 
being obliged, though a distinct body from 
the established churchy to attend and receive 
it from the ministers of the establishment ; 
and finally they petitioned at the conference 
that they might receive it from their own mi- 
nisters, in their own places of worship, as was 
the custom with other religious societies. This 
was over-ruled by the general body of the preach- 
ers, which created great opposition in various 
parts of the kingdom, and prepared the way 
for a separation. 



New Methodists. 



265 



Another cause of complaint was, that during 
the life of Mr.Wesley, no^one but the travelling 
preachers was permitted to be present at their 
deliberations in the yearly conference, when 
any thing of an important nature was under 
consideration. These things finally produced a 
separation,, and now they form two bodies, 
professing the same doctrines and opinions, 
but differing only as to the mode of church 
government. The first, or the iminediale 
followers of Mr. Wesley,, are termed 
the Old Methodists, who do not admit any 
delegates from the societies, not being travel- 
ling preachers, to assist in their conference, 
but who themselves in conference, on account 
of their local knowledge, are the most compe- 
tent judges, determine where chapels are 
wanted, and who recommend to the societies 
the adoption of proper means for defraying 
the expense. Also for carrying into effect 
the result of their deliberations. The latter 
are called the New Methodists, w ho approach 
nearer to the church-government of the 
Presbyterians. 

The same time that the Revd. John Wesley 
M 



£66 



Whitfieldites. 



began to preach Methodism, the Revd. 
George Whitfield began the revival of Calvin- 
ism. He was very eminent as a preacher, 
was very useful in reclaiming the lower orders 
of the people ; like the Methodists, he preached 
in houses, fields, and public places, and on 
this account his followers were called 



WHITFIELDITES. 

This famous reviver of the doctrines of 
Calvin did not adopt the rigid discipline of the 
Methodists. He, like them, permitted those 
to preach who thought they were called to the 
ministry. This was one grand cause why 
they became so popular. But it is singular that 
two men, one preaching the doctrines of the 
church of England, and the other those of 
Calvin, which two professions embraced nearly 
the whole population of England, should have 
been able to collect such multitudes into regu- 
lar bodies, having chapels in almost every 
large town in the kingdom. 



JVliitfieldites. 



267 



Some of his followers however, seeing that 
the order established, which permitted the 
well disposed among them to preach, who 
were not altogether qualified either in language 
or grammar, had not so good an effect with 
the intelligent part of the hearers, separated 
themselves under the patronage of the Countess 
of Huntingdon : who, while she lived, was the 
guardian of a connection, which until this 
period had never obtained such consequence 
and respectability. The cause of this prosperity 
is obvious. The intelligent among them saw 
how necessary it was for the credit of religion, 
that their preachers should receive instruction, 
that men should not be permitted to preach, 
who, so far from understanding the original 
languages in which the scriptures were written, 
did not even understand their own language, 
so as to deliver their sentiments with that gram- 
matical accuracy which is absolutely necessary 
for a public speaker. This had long been con- 
sidered a great evil among them, as it had a 
powerful tendency to injure the cause of 
religion in general. 

Accordingly, by the exertions and gcnero- 



£68 



Whitfieldites. 



sity of the above-mentioned lady, a college 
was established at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, 
for the reception of those who were intended 
for the ministry, where they go through a course 
of learning, which enables them to do credit to 
their profession. They have a superintendant, 
who is well qualified to instruct them in the 
various branches of useful and necessary 
learning. 

When this pious lady came forward with 
her property and interest in support of this 
laudable undertaking, others in affluent cir- 
cumstances followed her example. A place 
for public worship was purchased, capable of 
holding a great number, with a spacious house 
adjoining, where the ministers reside during the 
time they officiate. At this place they trans- 
act business relative to their societies in differ- 
ent parts of England and Wales : it is con- 
sidered as the centre of their connection. This 
division of the followers of Whitfield has 
been always known as Lady Huntingdon's 
connection. They use the liturgy of the 
church of England. Those who have com- 
pleted their studies at college, are sent to 



Stiedenborgians. 



S69 



preach in various parts of the kingdom for a 
time, and are replaced by others. 

By this well-conducted plan, they have be- 
come a useful and a respectable body. It is 
said that in Lady Huntingdon's connection, 
there are upwards of 100,000, who regularly 
attend divine service. It must necessarily be 
allowed that the Calvinist, and Arminian 3Ie- 
thodists, the followers of those excellent men 
Wesley and Whitfield, have been essentially 
useful in the hand of divine providence, in 
putting a stop to the immorality of the age. 
And though some enthusiasts have appeared 
among them in their first coming forth, who 
have not conducted themselves with a zeal 
altogether tempered with heavenly wisdom ; 
yet as a body they are a peaceable, and an 
upright people \ and their conduct in life 
renders them worthy of being called the fol- 
lowers of Christ. 



SWEDEN BO RGI ANS. 



So called from Emanuel Swedenborg, a 
Swedish nobleman, a learned man, and a vo- 



270 



Swedenbo rgia ns . 



luminous writer. His theological works were 
all written in the Latin tongue, which, since 
his demise, have been translated into English, 
and other languages, by learned men in differ- 
ent nations. He was born in the year 1688, 
died at the age of eighty-four, and was buried 
in the Swedish church, Princes-square, London. 

He teaches in his writings, that God is one 
in essence and in person ; that he exists in a 
divine human form, which was the opinion of 
a sect of Christians in the time of the Emperor 
Valentinian, 338 years after Christ, called, 
Anthropomorphites ; that the unity is only to 
be comprehended in the person of Christ, in 
whom is a divine trinity, consisting of Father, 
Son, and Holy Spirit ; that the Father dwells 
in him as the soul dwells in the body of man, 
and that the proceeding from the Father and 
Son, is the Holy Spirit. That man is a free 
agent, and an accountable creature. That 
faith alone does not justify the sinner. That 
a genuine faith will produce good works, which 
are as inseparable from true faith, as effect 
is from its cause. Nevertheless that good 
works do not merit salvation, but that salvation 
is the certain issue, if a man loves what is good* 



Sicedenborgia?is. 



271 



and what is true, and is at the same time in the 
habitual practice of these virtues from an in- 
terior affection. That true repentance must 
precede a remission of sin, and that sin is not 
remitted, unless the sin first ceases to be 
commUted, aud that this is the true meaning 
of remission of sin. That holiness of heart 
consists in loving that which is good, and true, 
and in hating that which is evil and false ; and 
also in endeavoring to manifest this principle 
in life by all our words and actions. Believing 
in the unity of God, they object to the word 
atonement, as they say he could not atone to 
himself. But they believe that Christ, by 
his assumption of human nature in this world, 
by his temptation combats, the last of which 
was that of the cross ; has redeemed man- 
Nevertheless, that it is incumbent on man to 
overcome also, agreeably to those words, he 
that overcometh shall sit dozen with me in my 
throne, even as I have overcome and am sit 
down with my Father in his throne. That 
man is to overcome sin as if the power of over- 
coming was from himself, but at the same 
time he must be sensible that the power to over- 



€7£ Swedenborgians. 



come is from the Lord, who overcomes in man; 
That when man dies as to the material body, 
he rises again immediately in his spiritual, or 
eternal body, agreeably to the words of the 
Apostle, there is a natural body, and there is- 
a spiritual body, in which spiritual body man 
after death exists in a perfect human form. 
That the day of death in this natural world, is 
the day of his resurrection in the spiritual or 
eternal world, agreeably to the words of the 
Apostle, absent from the body, present with 
the Lord. That the scriptures have a spiritual, 
as well as a literal sense ; and that in their spirit- 
ual sense consists their sanctity. That the spirit- 
ual sense refers primarily to Christ as redeem- 
ing man, and secondly to the regeneration of 
man, agreeably to those words, and beginning 
at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded 
unto them, in all the scriptures, the things con- 
cerning himself. 

When they settled as a body in public wor- 
ship, the dress of their ministers was the same 
as that which is used in the church of England. 
But when they began to increase in numbers, 
a few intemperate individuals introduced pecu- 



Dissenters. 



273 



liar garments for the priest to officiate in. 
These, as they were only calculated to create 
disgust among the more rational part of the 
community, were soon laid aside, and they 
returned to their original dress, which is the 
same as is used by the ministers of the church 
of England. They use a liturgy, which is 
nearly the same as that of the established 
church, and they have adopted the episcopal 
form of ordination, which order, they think, 
was established by the Apostles, agreeably to 
those words, Acts i. 20. mid his bishoprick let 
another take. Phil. i. 1. zcith the bishops and 
deacons. 1st Tim. hi. 1. desire the qfice of 
bishop. 



DISSE.NTEKS. 

By these, in England, are understood the 
complex body of Calvinists, Arians, Socini- 
ans, Methodists, and all, (except the Roman 



£74 



Sahatarians. 



Catholics) who dissent from the doctrines, 
service, and form of worship, of the church of 
England. They are distinguished by their re- 
spective names, as Calvinist, Arian, Socinian, 
and Baptist, dissenters. They dissent from each 
other in principle and profession, as much as 
they all do from the established church. 

But the first dissenters in England, were 
those, who, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, 
proposed a more strict kind of worship, and 
who were on that account called Puritans. 

About 100 years after this period, in the 
reign of Charles II. the act called the Act of 
Uniformity was passed, which took place on 
Bartholomew-day, and many ministers refusing 
to conform, left the established church, and 
were called Non-Conformists. 



S AB AT ARIAN S 



Are those who observe the seventh day, in- 
stead of the first day of the week. This custom 



Baxterians* 



275 



is not of a modern date, but as early as the 
time of the Apostle St. John. It was observed 
by the Jewish converts, who found no com- 
mand in the scripture for the observance of 
the first day of the week. They are princi- 
pally to be found among the Baptists, who 
are distinguished by the term, Seventh-day 
Baptists. 

They say that the change, from the seventh 
to the first day of the week, took place at the 
time of Constantine when he embraced Christ- 
ianity. The reason they give for keeping the 
seventh day of the week as the sabbath, is, that 
God hath commanded it to be observed ; and 
that there is not any authority in scripture for 
its being changed from the seventh, to the first, 
day of the week. 



BAXTERIANS. 



These are the followers of Richard Baxter, 
a noted writer, and preacher in the last century. 



£76 



He taught that a certain number were pre- 
destinated to eternal life from eternity, that 
the rest were not reprobated, but that by 
a life of faith and obedience, they might also 
obtain eternal happiness : consequently that 
Christ died for all men ; that by his death the 
sins of the elect were forgiven, and that those 
who were not of the elect, through his death 
were placed in a salvable state, by an offer 
of that light which lighteth every man that 
come th into the world. 



NECESSITARIANS, 

So called, because they hold the doctrine of 
necessity, or fatality ; and that all the actions 
of men are inevitably consequent on a superior 
over-ruling agency, which cannot be counter- 
acted by finite beings. 

Others again hold, that God, by his omni- 
science, omnipotence, and omnipresence, su- 
perintends the most minute concerns of this 

\ 



Destructionists. 



277 



world, and that from bis fore-knowledge, the 
doctrine of necessity necessarily follows, as 
effect follows its cause. But these latter can- 
nofproperly be believers in the doctrine of 
necessity ; for if the fore-knowledge, by which 
God knows who are the faithful, precedes the 
decree by which man is obliged to act, then 
the doctrine of necessity falls to the ground. 



DESTRUCTIONISTS. 



These believe that the wicked, after they 
have suffered for their crimes in Hell, are to 
be destroyed. They say that this doctrine is 
taught in the scriptures, and that the word 
death means that which is everlasting, agree- 
ably to those words, Rev. ii. 11. lie that over- 
cometh shall not be hart by the second death. 
They hold it to be an absurdity to suppose 
that death can be inflicted for a certain term. 
That punishment and death cannot be intended 
to reform the wicked, for it is equally as absurd 



€78 



Millinarians. 



to conclude, that man should be punished with 
death in order to reform his conduct. That 
the kingdom of Christ is to last for ever, be- 
cause it is said, that of his kingdom there shall 
he no end, and therefore that the mediatorial 
kingdom is never to be delivered up to the 
Father. 

These have been the opinions of a very few : 
I have mentioned them because some have 
magnified them into a sect, though they have not 
been sufficiently numerous to be ranked as such. 



MILLINARIANS 



Believe that Christ will literally reign on 
earth a thousand years^ with all those who are 
said to have their part in the first resurrection. 
After which, the second resurrection is to take 
place, the last judgment, and the beginning of 
eternal glory in Heaven. Soon after the coun- 
cil of Nice, about the year 340, these pro- 
fessors increased rapidly, the doctrines they 
promulgated were the same as are now received 



Millinarians. 



279 



by this sect. They believe that Jerusalem shall 
be rebuilt gloriously, and that the saints or 
believers shall see Christ descend from Heaven 
and take up his habitation in the city of Jeru- 
salem, where they shall all dwell with him a 
thousand years. 

This opinion was first introduced by Car- 
pocrates in the reign of Domitian, sixty years 
after Christ. It is founded on that passage in 
the Revelation, ch. xx. 4, 5, 6. And I seize the 
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judg- 
ment was given unto them; and I saw the souls 
of them that were beheaded for the witness of 
Jesus, and for the word of God, and which 
had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, 
neither had received his mark upon their fore- 
heads, or in their hands : and they lived and 
reigned with Christ a thousand years. 
But the rest of the dead lived not again, until 
the thousand years were finished. This 
is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he 
that hath part in the first resurrection ; on such, 
the second death hath no power, but they shall 
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall 
reign with him a thousand years. 



HUTCHINSONIANS. 



John Hutchinson was born in Yorkshire 
about the beginning of the last century. He 
was a good Hebraist, and believed that the 
Hebrew language contains a complete system 
of all sciences, and of all knowledges moral, 
judicial, physical, and theological. 

Hutchinson was received as an ingenious 
biblical philosopher, which philosophy he at- 
tempted to prove, in a work he wrote, intitled 
Moses' Principia. He is much followed by 
Parkhurst, who says, speaking of the word 
Heaven, 66 This is a descriptive name of the 
heavens, or of that immense celestial fluid 
subsisting in the three conditions of fire, light, 
and spirit, which fills every part of the uni- 
verse. This name Heaven, was first given by 
God to the celestial fluid, or air, when it 
began to act in dispersing and arranging the 
earth and water. And since that time has 
been the great agent in disposing all material 
things in their places, and orders, and thereby 



Materialists. 



281 



producing all those great and wonderful effects 
which are attributed to them in the scriptures, 
and which of late years hath been the fashion 
to ascribe to attraction and gravity" The 
works of Hutchinson have considerable merit, 
and have a tendency to illustrate the scriptures 
by a rational philosophy, accounting for the 
wonderful effects of what has hitherto been 
called, attraction and gravitation. But as 
liis admirers never formed themselves into a 
body, and the system being more of a philoso- 
phical, than of a theological nature, they can- 
not be ranked as a sect of religious professors, 

\ 



MATERIALISTS. 

Those who profess to be Materialists, be- 
lieve that the soul of man cannot be in a state 
of conscious existence without the material 
body. Therefore they hold that the soul after 
its separation from the body, is in a dor- 
mant state until the day of resurrection. That 



Mystics. 



every thing of a spiritual nature is altogether 
inconceivable to us. That we cannot have 
any idea of existence, but of that which is 
material. Others again suppose that what we 
call the soul, in which exists the will, and the 
understanding, is not distinct from the body, 
but that it is the result of that actuating pow 7 er, 
which w 7 e call animal life. 

Others go farther, and hold that not any 
thing can possibly be, or exist, but what is 
altogether material ; that the soul is material 
as well as the body : consequently that all 
things in the future state must be material also. 
That the matter of the world w as coeval with 
God. A sect of this description appeared in 
the Christian world about the year 180, called 
Hermogenians from Hermo genes, an African, 
in the reign of the Emperor Severus. 



MYSTICS 



W ere originally so called because the opinions 
they held were mysterious to the general body 



Mystics. 



283 



of Christians. There was a sect of these pro- 
fessors in the early ages of the Apostolic church. 
Dionysius the Areopagite, at xVthens, was the 
founder of these opinions. They have increased 
in every century to the time of Behmen, and. 
William Law, who was born in the year 1687. 
They do not receive the scriptures as an histo- 
rical account of circumstances and things only, 
but that they are to be understood in a more 
interior sense, to have relation to spiritual states 
in the regeneration of man. They say that we 
ought to love God, not for the hope of reward, 
the fear of punishment, or because he has 
commanded us so to do, but from a higher 
motive, viz. for his perfections only, endea- 
voring to attain to a similar, but subordinate 
state, by the love of those perfections operating 
yi a holy life. 

With these high considerations of disinter- 
ested inward adoration, they approach the 
throne of the Majesty of Heaven, who, they 
conceive, dwells awfully obscure in his eternal 
solitudes for above all Heavens, filling all 
things by his influence. This state of contem- 
plative silence, which, they say, is signified by 



<2S4 



Universalists. 



those words, let all flesh keep silence before me, 
they hold to be the highest perfection in this life* 



UNIVERSALISTS 

Believe that God, who is a God of Love, has 
elected all mankind to eternal salvation; even 
devils are to become prisoners of hope, and are 
to be finally saved, because, they say, anger 
cannot dwell in God ; that his tender mercies 
are over all his works. That the fall in Adam 
was only of a finite nature, but that the restor- 
ation by Christ was infinite in its effects, and 
w ould, if necessary, extend its saving power to 
millions of worlds : that actual sin as it is only 
finite, can not require eternal punishment; 
consequently that the punishment of the wicked 
is intended to bring them into those states of 
humility which are to render them fit for Hea- 
ven. They believe that this plan of redemp- 
tion is perfectly consistent with the nature and 
perfections of the Divine Being, and that it is 
held forth in scripture. They believe that as 
Christ died for all men, the just and the unjust 
to bring us to God, so all must necessarily be 



Sandemanians. 



285 



saved, and that then Christ will deliver up the 
office of mediator to the Father, and that God 
will be all in all. 

The difference, they say, between those 
who keep the commandments of God, and 
those who do not, is this : the first have their 
lot in the first resurrection, agreeably to those 
words, But the rest of the dead lived not, until 
the thousand years zcere finished. This is the 
first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that 
hath part in the first resurrection ; on such the 
second death hath no pozcer. But the latter 
are to be confined in Hell till the last resur- 
rection, when these as well as the others and all 
the infernals, are to enjoy the same blissful state. 

These opinions were held by some of the 
fathers of the Christian church, among whom 
was Origen, " who would have the wicked and 
devils to be saved," 



S A N DEMANIANS. 
So called from Sandeman, a member of the 



286 



Sandemanians. 



church of Scotland, who separated from that 
church about the year 1757. The first founder 
of this sect was John Glass, a minister of the 
Kirk of Scotland: about the year 1730, his fol- 
lowers were called Glassites. But when Sande- 
man,who was an elder of this sect, published his 
letters against the production of James Hervey, 
called " Theron and Aspasio," he became the 
great pillar of the sect, and they called them- 
selves after him, Sandemanians. 

They hold with the followers of Novatus, 
who lived under the Emperor Decius at the 
beginning of the third century, that no one is 
to consider any thing he is in possession of as 
his own, so as not to be subject to the church 
for the benefit of the poor : consequently they 
have all things in common. They observe the 
sacrament of the Lord's Supper weekly, at 
which ordinance they expect all to attend, and 
at which time they make a collection for the 
poor. They dine together in parties at each 
other's houses on the sabbath day. Like the 
followers of Novatus, they disapprove of a 
second marriage, which renders them ineligible 
to fill the offices in the church. 



Dunkers. 



287 



They adhere to the letter of scripture, ab- 
staining from all things strangled, in which is 
the blood, and in token of humility they wash 
each other's feet. They define faith to be an 
acknowledgment of the truths delivered by 
Christ, such as, that he came to redeem man, 
and was raised again for our justification, w hich 
with a life of obedience to his commands, 
comprehends the religion of the New Testa- 
ment. , 



DUNKERS. 



The Dunkers appeared in North America, 
about the year 1724. They assembled in a 
town in, or near Pennsylvania, called Ephrata, 
and formed themselves into a society. They 
appear to have adopted some of the customs 
of the Baptists and the Quakers, for like the 
first they baptise by immersion, and like the 
second, they do not go to law to recover debts. 
They, like some of the ancient Christians, 
have love-feasts, at which they eat meat, but 



£88 The Kirk of Scotland. 



at other times they live mostly on vegetables. 
They observe some of the customs which are 
mentioned as having been observed by the 
Apostles, and before they receive the sacrament, 
they wash each other's feet. 



THE KIRK OF SCOTLAND 

Adopted the form of church government 
which was first chosen in Germany, at the se- 
paration from the church of Rome. It is 
governed by the presbytery, and the general 
assembly. Calvinism is the prevailing doctrine* 



DISSENTERS FROM 
THE KIRK OF SCOTLAND. 

There are seven sorts of Dissenters from 
the Kirk of Scotland. First, the old Dissent- 
ers are those who were the most active at the 
revolution in 1688, in opposing the acts of the 



The Kirk of Scotland. 



representatives in church and state. These, as 
a distinct body, are the old Presbyterians, who 
first separated from the established church. 

Second, the Glassites, who afterwards took 
the name of Sandemanians, from Sandeman, 
a very popular man among them. 

Third, Seceders, who separated from the 
established Kirk in 1733. 

Fourth, The Relief Kirk. They separated 
from the established Kirk, and maintain that 
they have a right to choose their own minis- 
ters. 

Fifth, Scottish Baptists. They are much 
the same as Baptists in general. 

Sixth, The Bareans, who have taken that 
name from the ancient Bareans, as, like them, 
they say they search the scriptures for them- 
selves. 

Seventh, New Independents. 

The leading doctrine of ail these sects is 
Calvinism, in which they agree with the 
established Kirk. 



SHAKEKS. 



These enthusiasts of the day, called Shakers, 
are to be found in America ; they resemble in 
some manner the Jumpers inW ales. I have been 
informed by Dr. Samuel Peters, a gentleman 
of respectability in the church of England, 
and the elect bishop of Canada, who, in his 
travels through America, has visited them, 
that in their worship they will frequently rise, 
dance, jump about, and turn with incredible 
swiftness on the tip-toe of one foot, for the 
.space of fifteen minutes, when being exhausted 
they fall down, and pretend to see visions. 

They believe that the first resurrection has 
taken place, and that now it is the time when 
they are to judge themselves. That this is a new 
dispensation, in which they reject all the advice 
given in the written word. They believe that 
they have power to work miracles, to heal the 
sick, to raise the dead, and to cast put devils, 
and that this is done by the preaching of the 
word when it i& attended with power, that is, 
by the operation of the spirit, which enlightens 



Shakers, 



the mind, convinces of sin, and inspires the 
soul with holiness of life. 

That they have intercourse with angels and 
departed spirits, agreeably to what is said, 11 
Cor. ]2. There are diversities of gifts, hut the 
same spirit; to some is given the zcord of 
rcisdom, to some the discerning of spirits. 
That they may arrive to such perfection in the 
divine life as to speak with divers tongues. 
That it is lawful to practise vocal music, 
dancing, and other manifestations of great joy, 
if it be done with a single eye to the glory of 
God. In one part of their worship they have 
" an uniform dance, vihile the elders sing a 
solemn hymn, to which they move in a regular 
figure". See New York Theol. Mag. for 
November and December, 179^- That the 
highest perfection of the Christian life is, 
neither to marry, nor to give others in marri- 
age ; because by this they get rid of their 
sensual relation to Adam, and thus are fit 
subjects to receive heavenly visions : that those 
who attain to this state are of the number of 
the hundred and forty-four thousand, that icerc 
not defied with zcomcn. That eternal punish- 



£92 Jumpers. 



ment does not apply to any others but those, 
who fall away from their persuasion. 



JUMPERS, 

The Jumpers in Wales are much of this 
description ; at a certain period of their wor- 
ship they begin to move their bodies, and in- 
crease this motion till they rise and jump 
about until they are exhausted, and frequently 
fall down. 

The only discipline wherein they differ from 
the Shakers is, that they do not twirl upon the 
tip-toe. These are the renewals of an ancient 
heresy in the third century, called Hierarchites, 
from Hierarcha, who lived a short time after 
Origen. They pretend to justify this kind of en- 
thusiastic whimsey by saying that David danced 
before the ark, — the lame man leaped for joy- 
that he was cured, — and in the prophet, then 
shall the lame man leap as an hart. 

I have mentioned these for no other reason 
than to show, how human nature may be im- 



Nezv Sect in America. 293 



posed on ; for though they have been ranked 
as sects by some writers, they are too con- 
temptible for such notice. Enthusiasts are 
found in all ages, and if L were to attend to all 
the whims and fancies which have entered the 
heads of a few unsettled, ignorant, and intem- 
perate individuals, I should not be giving an 
account of the different sects of the Christian 
religion, but of the folly, pride, and depravity 
of those, who have promulgated erroneous 
opinions^ and followed lying vanities. 



NEW SECT IN AMERICA. 



These may be called a new sect, because 
they take the New Testament only for their 
rule. They meet after the manner of the Me- 
thodists, by delegates, and at their meetings, 
make collections for the poor. They call 
their assemblies the Christian church. Every 
member enjoys his own opinions without the 
least restraint, provided he conducts himself 
agreeably to the precepts of the Christian 
dispensation. 



HUGONOTS. 



These are French Protestants, who are so 
called from their formulae of faith, hue nos ve- 
nimus. They arose in the year 1560 > and 
greatly increased to the year 1572 in the reign of 
Charles IX. when at the feast of Bartholomew 
on the 24th of August, near 80,000 Protest- 
ants were massacred in France, by the decree 
of this king. Twenty-six years afterwards, 
Henry IV. caused the Edict of Nantz to be 
passed, which enabled the Protestants to wor- 
ship God agreeably to the dictates of their 
consciences. Their privileges were thus en- 
joyed by them to the time of the voluptuous, 
and sensual reign of Louis XIV. when they 
were again persecuted, their churches destroy- 
ed, thousands were put inhumanly to death : 
and from the best authorities it is said, that 
near 100,000 were driven out of their own 
country. Vast numbers found an asylum in 
England, who brought with them the manu- 
facture of silks, which has been a great source 
of wealth to the government. 



THE PROTESTANT CHURCH 



Is properly the church of England, which 
obtained that name, when the people pro- 
tested against the doctrines, sacraments, 
and worship of the church of Rome, in the 
reign of Henry VIII. to which period the 
Roman Catholic religion had been the esta- 
blished religion of the English nation. But 
the first blow which was given to Popery in 
England was about 200 years before Henry 
VIII. in the reign of Edward III. when the 
noted Wickliffe opposed the doctrines and 
worship of the church of Rome. The term 
Protestant is also given to all ranks of pro- 
fessing Christians, who, like the church of 
England, disapprove of the doctrines of the 
church of Rome ; though they have separated 
from the church of England. Such are called 
Protestant dissenters. 

This church admits but of two sacraments, 
viz. baptism, and the Lord's supper, agreeably 
to the command of Christ, Matt, xxviii. 1JJ. 
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, bap- 



296 The Protestant Church. 



tizing them in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Acts viih 
36* And as they went on their way, they came 
unto a certain water; and the Eunuch said, see f 
here is water ; what doth hinder me to be bap- 
tised? Luke xxii. 19. And he took breads 
and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto 
them, saying, this is my body which is given 
for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

This church holds with infant baptism, which 
appears to be a very ancient custom. Pelagius, 
whose followers were called Pelagians, who 
was one of the orthodox divines, and lived 1 80 
years after Christ, taught that, " infants might 
be saved without baptism." 

The fundamental doctrines of the church of 
England are, repentance, faith, and holiness 
of life ; these are held forth in her catechism, 
homilies, and liturgy. Repentance zchereby 
we forsake sin, and faith, whereby we sted- 
fastly believe in the promises of God, And 
again, My duty towards God is to believe in 
him, to fear him, and to love him with all my 
heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, 
and with all my strength; to worship him, to 



The Protestant Church. 



297 



give him thanks , to put my whole ti ust in him, 
to call upon him, to honor his holy name and 
his word, and to serve him truly all (he days 
of my life. My duty towards my neighbour is 
to love him as myself, and to do inito all men 
as I would they should do unto me. Thus 
does the church of England in her purity, 
comprehend die sum and substance of the re- 
ligion of the scriptures, which is love to 
God, and charity to man. 

In this place I wish to recommend An Ad- 
dress, 1 published by the Rev. Dr. Valpy, to 
his Parishioners, where under the head of 
Works ivithout faith, he says, u The morality of 
Jesus Christ enjoins us to observe all things 
whatsoever he has commanded us ; to visit the 
fatherless and widows in their affliction; and to 
keep ourselves unspotted from the world. But the 
morality which is usually meant, is the morality 
of the world, and not of Christ. The morality of 
the world only plays about the head, the mo- 
rality of Christ is deeply rooted in the heart " 
And again, under the head, Faith without 

1 This Address has already gone through three editions, 
and is well calculated to distribute among our poorer 
neighbours. 



'298 The Protestant Church. 



works, " Hence it appears that justification 
cannot exist without sanctification. Hence, 
although you cannot be saved by works, it is 
clear that you cannot be. saved without works/ 
On the whole, it is wonderful, that among 
every tribe and tongue, from pole to pole, 
the savage hordes of Africa, the untaught In- 
dians, as well as the learned and civilised 
nations, worship a Divine Being or first cause, 
under some form. It is inherent in our nature, 
it is the language of gratitude for our being : 

For God has stain pt it on the heart of man ; 
It is a part of his eternal plan. 
Come then, Religion, lead me to that shrine, 
Where dwells the awful Majesty divine : - 
O teach me, thou, who art the secret spring 
Of inward adoration, how to bring 
An hallowed sacrifice— thy grace impart 
To sanctify the ofl'ring of the heart 
In life, and death. And when the golden bowl 1 
That holds the brain is broken, may the soul 
To its great Father lift the humble eye, 
And soar to brighter worlds beyond the sky; 
Up to the mansions where the angels dwell- 
Where the fair humble Seraphs ceaseless tell, 
How mortals led by God's paternal hand, 
For ever rest in Eden's happy land ; 
That hand, which ever condescends to give : 
For those who live to die — v/ill die to live. 

* Eccies. xii. 6. 



The Protestant Church. 2Q[) 



From what has been advanced, it must be 
evident to the intelligent reader, that there can 
be no more than two religions, viz. the religion 
which under some form embraces the worship 
of the true God ; and idolatry, which compre- 
hends the worship of idols. 

It must also appear that there have been 
only four true churches of God, exclusive of 
the state in which the first people were placed. 
For a new church must of necessity include 
a new dispensation, which we find from scrip- 
ture, has taken place four times since the crea- 
tion of man, viz. The first church, or the 
first dispensation given to Adam after the fall, 
and which maybe properly called, the Adamic 
dispensation, or the Adamic church, which 
ended at the time of the flood. . 

The second church, or the dispensation 
given to Noah, which is properly called, the 
Noahotic dispensation, which ended at the 
time of Moses. 

The third church, or the dispensation given 
to Moses, called, the Mosaic dispensation, 
which ended at the coming of Christ. 



300 



Enthusiasts* 



And lastly, the Christian church, or 
the dispensation given by Christ himself, 
which will endure for ever. 

Hence we may charitably conclude, that 
though there may exist a difference of opinion, 
which has in all ages laid the foundation for 
different sects, yet under what form soever 
the true God is worshipped in sincerity, such 
worshippers constitute the true church of God ; 
agreeably ,to those words of the Apostle : Of a 
truth I perceive, that God is no respecter of 
persons, hut in every nation, he that feareth 
Mm, and worketh righteousness, is accepted 
with him* 



ENTHUSIASTS. 



It was not my intention to say any thing 
concerning the religious enthusiasts of the day, 
because such cannot be acknowledged as be- 
longing to any sect of the Christian religion, 
who assert things inconsistent with those plain 
truths held forth in the gospel; had not a 



Enthusiasts. 



301 



modern writer introduced the misguided fol- 
lowers of an ignorant, presumptuous woman 
to the notice of the public. It may however 
serve to caution the well-meaning Christian to 
avoid the senseless clamor of fanatics : and 
this is the only apology I can offer to the in- 
telligent reader for intruding on his time and 
patience. 

In all ages from the time of the prophets to 
the present day, in all ancient nations, and 
among the moderns, from Joan of Arc, to 
Joanna Southcott, some infatuated men and 
women, preferring their own proud dogmas to 
the plain scriptures, have pretended to divine 
communication. Not in the way which God 
appointed under the Mosaic dispensation, nor 
by living faith, as under the gospel ; but they 
have impiously asserted that it is by a vocal 
and an externally audible conversation with the 
awful Majesty: of Heaven. And not- 
withstanding this is sufficient of itself to pro- 
cure them a residence in Bedlam, yet numbers 
of individuals have fallen, as it were, a sacrifice 
to the pride and vanity of these impostures. 

If the intelligent reader will turn over the 



302 



Enthusiasts. 



pages of ancient and modern history, he will 
find that, when nations were involved in war, 
witch-ridden enthusiasm, treading on reason 
and scripture, has always found advocates 
among the hordes of inferior society. These 
tinder-brained mortals, fired with the expecta- 
tion of an ^ easy life, high posts, and golden 
plunder, have hurled their anathemas at 
churches and states, at all sects and parties 
who have opposed them ; and have consigned 
them to destruction with the impious blasphe- 
my of, thus saith the Lord. In the times of 
the prophets, when people of this description 
made their appearance, so deeply was human 
nature sunk in the sink of its own vanity, that 
the prophet was commanded to say, Prophesij 
against the prophets of Israel, that prophesy, 
and say unto them that prophesy out of their 
own spirit, Thus saith the Lord God, woe unto 
the foolish prophets that follow their own 
spirits, and have seen nothing. They have 
seen lying divination, saying the Lord saith, 
and the Lord hath not sent them. 

In the time of the ancient Greeks and Ro- 
mans, during the abomination of the Delphian 



Ejiihusiasts. 



303 



and Sybillian oracles ; and among the Maho- 
metans, numbers have pretended to be inspired 
by the oracular gods, and by the spirit of Ma- 
homet. Even in the Pagan nations there are those 
famousabove others, for their intimate acquaint- 
ance with the spirit of the wooden god they wor- 
ship. More modern times have also furnished 
us with serious proofs of the weakness, folly, 
and blasphemy of this description of men 
among the Christian nations : a short account 
of them may not be unsatisfactory to the 
reader. 

THOMAS OF VI U X S T E R , 

In 1522, boasted that he had immediate 
communication with God, that by his means 
the empires and principalities of this world 
were to be destroyed ; that the sword of Gideon 
was put into his hands, to be employed against 
all tyrants, and for the restoration of the king- 
dom of Christ ! Ke excited the people to re- 
bellion, and fought the landgrave ; five thousand 
were slain. Tiie hypocrite was taken and 
put to death. 

JOHN MATTHIAS, 

In the year 1532, a baker at Harlem, pro- 
fessed himself to be, " Enoch the second high 



304 



Enthusiasts, 



priest of God, raised a rebellion, published 
edicts, and commanded every man to bring his 
gold and silver into the common stock;" He 
was put to death by the besieging army. 

JOHN OF LEYDEN, 

In the year 1534, by these pretensions, raised 
a considerable army, who being besieged in 
the city of Minister, caused himself to be 
made king ; some thousands were killed. He 
was taken and suffered a painful death. To 
these succeeded 

HERMAN THE COBLER, 

Who declared himself to be a true prophet ; 
and at last, the son of God. 

THEODORE, 

Of Amsterdam, preached the doctrines of 
the Pre-Adamites, and ran naked with his 
followers through the city. 

DAVID GEORGE, 

In the year 1556, asserted that he was the 
true Messiah, sent down from Heaven to be 
the horn, redeemer, and builder of the taber- 
nacle of Israel. The following particulars 
are taken from his writings. That the doc- 
trines of Moses, the Prophets, and Christ were 
not sufficient for salvation, but his doctrines 



Enthusiasts. 



306 



only. That he was invested with authority to 
bind and loose, and that at the last day he 
should judge the tribes of Israel. That the 
scriptures of the Old Testament, that Christ 
and the Apostles, referred to the coming of 
David George. I might introduce many more 
of these fanatics, who made their appearance 
in Germany, France, Holland, and different 
nations, but the blasphemies of David George 
seem to have out-done every other continental 
pretender to divine communication. We have 
however an opportunity of producing one at 
this day, pretending to divine revelation, in 
England, whose assertions as to these things 
are as blasphemous, which I find in certain 
pamphlets bearing the signature of 

JOANNA SOUTHCOTT. 

This woman, from a very obscure and menial 
situation in Exeter, has, by pretending to 
divine communication, and an external con- 
versation with God, risen into ease and plenty 
by means of a few deluded persons in London. 
These pamphlets, written by herself, contain 
a summary of the most consummate ignorance, 
ribaldry, spiritual pride, and blasphemy, no 
way inferior to what is contained in the impious 



306 Enthusiasts. 



writings of David George. They declare that 
this vain woman is sent from Heaven to de- 
nounce destruction to all persons, and all 
governments,, who do not obey the divine 
command, which, she says, is thus delivered 
by her : who then are to receive a seal, folded 
in a letter, which is not to be opened by them, 
but which, when the destruction takes place, 
(which she has been for near twenty years past 
fixing in every succeeding year) will preserve 
them from harm. That she is to have 144,000 
of these sealed ones, which she pretends is the 
144,000 spoken of in the Revelation, she be- 
ing the woman there mentioned, cloathed with 
the Sun. That Christ came first in the form 
of a man, but that he now is come in the form 
of a woman. That the spirit of God has com- 
manded her to choose seven men who are her 
seven saints, and that these seven men are to 
judge the earth, answering to the seven spirits 
before the throne of God. That she was also 
commanded to select twenty-four men from 
her infatuated followers, who are her twenty- 
four elders, answering to the twenty-four 
elders before the throne. 

Her books are written principally in a sort 



Enthusiasts. 



507 



of low rhyme in the common ballad style, 
which are altogether ungrammatical, but which 
she purports to be the language of the spirit of 
God. So infatuated are her advocates, that 
some of them who have had a collegiate edu- 
cation, and who are devoted in life to officiate 
in sacred things, have the weakness to declare 
that this versifying scribbling is finer than 
Homer. That the reader may judge whether 
the reverend gentlemen are justified in giving 
her rhyme so high a character, I have selected 
the following lines : 

SPIRIT. 

" Simple among the sons of men 
I always did appear; 
And simple in the woman's form 
I've surely acted here. " 

Again, 

SPIRIT. 

" If you can judge the heav'nly sound, 

Such woman ne'er on earth was found, 

To give such challenge unto man 

And say that I am in her form. 

Look, here's a woman, now believe it true, 

That here's a woman taken from my side, 

That I've declared to man to be my bride. 

I have chang'd the manhood and the Godhead's here." 



308 



Enthusiasts. 



SPIRIT. 

" Joanna, Joanna, I'll answer again, 
Thy words and thy wisdom will ever remain. 
Enrolled in Heav'n and published on Earth, 
Ye men of learning, mark well what she saith. 
In simple weakness all this was done at first, 
But now in power and wisdom all must burst." 

Thus she also pretends to prophesy from 
the audible voice of the spirit of God, in 
answer to the dreams, follies, and whims of 
those who countenance these tales. With all 
this train of blasphemies, it is scarcely possible 
to suppose that men could have been found 
weak and vain enough to believe the impious 
declarations contained in this woman's pamph- 
lets. But the blindness of fallen human nature, 
when led by its own spirit, is such, that scrip- 
ture and reason are rejected, and that most 
abominable of all pride, viz. that of pretend- 
ing to an immediate conversation with the 
awful Majesty of Heaven, is set up in their 
stead. 



ATHEISTS. 1 



Though the Atheist cannot be classed with 
any sect of religious professors, he being 

" Farther remov'd from God and light of Heav'n," 

than the most abandoned libertine ; yet it 
seems proper, in a work of this nature, to say 
something concerning this description of men, 
if there be any such in reality. For I have no 
doubt, however the professing Atheist may 
deny the existence of a Supreme Being, but 
in his moments of serious contemplation he is 
frequently troubled on account of his impious 
profession. And being altogether in a state 
of uncertainty as to the truth of his declarations, 
he often trembles at the awful consequences, 
lest he should be one of that number mentioned 
in sacred writ, viz. The wicked shall be turned 
into Mellj zvith all the nations that forget 
God. 

In all ages there have been those who have 
professed to believe that all things were pro- 



1 See Dr. Valpy's Address to his Parishioners. 3d. 
edition, p. 9* 



310 



Atheists. 



duced without the creative influence of the 
creator, that creation in all its beauteous and 
harmonious order, rose from chaotic confusion, 
the offspring of chance ! thus we find it on 
record in the most ancient book extant, the fool 
hath said in his hearty there is no God. Also 
among the Greeks and Romans, this opinion 
has been professed by some, and in the differ- 
ent nations of Europe at the present day, there 
are men who profess to believe that there is no 
God : but they are men of bad lives, and sub- 
verted even of the moral precepts of the 
Heathens. 

Men of this description always have and still 
continue, to confuse themselves in thinking of 
the beginning of God ; for in thinking of God, 
they have thought of him agreeably to the pow- 
ers with which they were endowed, which are 
only finite and created; whereas God is infi- 
nite and iincreate ; and exceeds, infinitely ex- 
ceeds, every idea of the human mind, as to his 
being and perfections. Consequently those 
who endeavor to form ideas of God as to his 
essence, think from what is finite and created, 
which involves a beginning, but which cannot 



Atheists. 



311 



be so respecting God. Thus they are con- 
fused in thinking concerning the divine essence, 
or Jehovah, who had no beginning, for he is 
self-essent, self-existent, infinite, eternal and 
■uncreate ; unsearchable, incomprehensible ! 
And thus because by the exertion of their finite 
powers they have not been capable of compre- 
hending infinity, and a beginning ; they have 
from the pride of their self-derived intelligence, 
concluded that, there is no God. 

In the book of divine Revelation, there is a 
beginning introduced, In the beginning God 
created the Heaven and the Earths but it 
should be remembered that this passage only 
refers to the origin of this world. The same 
sacred pages inform us that when this world 
was created, other creations were in existence. 
Where zcast thou alien I laid the foundations 
of the earth? declare, if thou luist understand- 
ing. When the morning stars sang; together, 
and all the sons of God shouted for joy. 
When these men view this world, which with- 
out variation performs its revolutions, and 
consider by what power those immense bodies, 
the planets, one of which is ascertained to be 



312 



Atheists. 



a thousand times larger than the earth, are 
supported in space, on what base the pil- 
lars of bur world are fixed, or to speak agree- 
ably to literal truth, by what power it moves 
in its orbit round the Sun to describe the vari- 
ous seasons of the year : they must be con- 
vinced that the omnipotent only could create 
these mighty orbs, suspend them in space, and 
by his flat, cause them to perform their various 
revolutions. 

But if we turn our attention from the solar 
system to the region of the fixed stars, vain is 
the attempt to form any accurate idea concern- 
ing thetn. The utmost stretch of thought is 
lost in the vast void of infinite space ! for 
though they are perfectly visible to us, yet 
we know nothing concerning their distances 
from the earth : this we can easily demonstrate 
in the following manner. According to ex- 
perience, the nearer we approach an object, 
the greater its magnitude will appear, but this 
rule fails in the present case. The diameter 
of the earth's orbit is known to be about two 
hundred millions of miles, and if the altitude 
of the north-pole star be taken when the earth 



Atheists. 



is at its aphelion, or in that part of its orbit 
which is farthest from the Sun: and if the 
altitude be again taken when the earth is at 
its perihelion, or in that part of its orbit where 
it is nearest the Sun, it will be found to have 
no parallax. Though the earth is two hundred 
millions of miles nearer the same star at one 
time of the year than it is at the other, it makes 
no sensible difference as to the apparent 
magnitude, or altitude of the star ; even with 
the aid of the most powerful telescopes, it 
still appears only as a point. The answer of 
the psalmist to such sceptics as these, was, and 
still remains, conclusive : The Heavens declare 
the glory of God, and the firmament showeth 
his handy work. 

But if these men were to consider the asto- 
nishing order of their own frame, they must 
necessarily be convinced that blind chance 
could not produce such a work. The psalm- 
ist was fully sensible of this when he said, I 
will praise thee, O Lord, for I am feat fully 
and zvonderfully made. From which decla- 
ration we may conclude that he was well ac- 
quainted, both with the construction of the 



314 



Atheists. 



body, and the nature of the soul, and from 
thence concluded that man, as well as all crea- 
tion, was the work of infinite wisdom. 

Can any of these men, who affect singularity 
by pretending to be Atheists, inform us by 
what wonderful mechanism the thought falls 
into the speech, and the will into the action ? 
why we cannot speak without thinking, nor act 
without an order from the superior chamber 
of the will ? why the seat of the understanding 
should be in that part of the brain in the cere- 
brum extending to the os frontis, or fore- 
part of the head, and which may be trepanned, 
or in part cut away, without injuring the intel- 
lectual faculty ? or why the other hemisphere 
of the brain should be seated in the occiput, 
or back-part of the head, where the fountain 
of life is so delicate and sensible, that if it 
were only touched with the point of a needle, 
it would produce instant death ? why this ex- 
ternal part of the head which is the most 
defenceless, should be formed double the 
thickness of any other part, unless infinite 
wisdom had so framed it to preserve the brain 
from injury ? 

If we take a cursory view of the anatomy of 



Atheist 



315 



man, how is it possible for the professor of 
Atheism to suppose that nature, or chance, 
could assign the different and mutual offices 
to each part of the body ? cause the heart by 
its perpetual labor to throw the blood through 
the pulmonary artery to meet the oxygen ? or- 
dain it to perform the first and last action I 
which is known from the state of an infant in 
the embryo, and from this circumstance, that 
when the lungs have ceased to act, the heart 
still continues its motion, as is the case with 
persons in a drowning or dying state. 

Let such men, who pretend to a superior 
degree of knowledge, inform us how chance 
could ordain the liver and kidnies to per- 
form their secretions, and by the action of 
digestion form the chyle for the production of 
blood? Were they to acquaint themselves with 
the functions of the organs of sense, they must 
be convinced that such perfections could not 
be produced by that phantom of the imagina- 
tion, chance. When we consider the wonder- 
ful properties of the eye, how the figures of 
external objects are painted on the retina, 
where the mind sees them in perfection ; how 



Atheists. 



the muscles by means of the nervous influence, 
elevate, depress, and point it to the object ; 
its power of receiving the light necessary, 
and of excluding it when too strong by con- 
tracting the pupil ; the peculiar properties of 
the chrystaline humor, which receives all the 
rays from outward objects, and represents 
them on the retina ; the membrane, which con- 
tracts and opens in order to vary its focus. I 
say, when we consider the wonderful structure 
of the eye for its most valuable uses in life,- it 
must be evident to every rational man, that it 
is impossible to be produced by unintelligible 
chance, but must be the contrivance of infi- 
nite wisdom. 

Every sense is as wonderful ; the organ of 
feeling is so constructed, that the nerves ex- 
tend to every minute part of the surface of the 
body, insomuch that the point of a needle ap- 
plied to any part comes in contact with a nerve, 
which conveys the sense to the brain. By this 
sense we are enabled to form just conclusions 
concerning the qualities of bodies, as hard, 
%ojty moist, dry ; of heat and cold. 

The sense of smelling is no less useful, than 



Atheists. 



317 



the construction of its organ is wonderful. It 
is so formed as to be affected with the odors of 
bodies, and conveys them to the brain, by which 
we are enabled to form right notions respect- 
ing their properties and uses. There is also 
placed at the extreme end of the olfactory 
nerves, the Ethmoides, a sieve-like bone with 
small holes, through which the filaments of 
the nerves pass, the office of which is, to dis- 
tribute the nerves upon a membrane, wherein 
the organ of smell is seated ; as well as to 
prevent the effluvia of odoriferous bodies from 
acting with too much power upon the senso- 
rium : which would have been the case had it 
been carried through one hole only. 

Taste appears to have been designed to sti- 
mulate animated nature to support existence, 
from the pleasure there is in taking food. By 
this we distinguish the various changes of sweet, 
bitter, salt, sour; but how these properties 
of the tongue and palate, which are excited 
by the nervous papillae, exist in their origin, is 
not possible for man to determine. 

We know that when the air or atmosphere 
is put in motion, it strikes upon the tympanum, 



318 Atheist*. 



and passing to the auditory nerve conveys 
sounds to the brain, so as to enable the under- 
standing to form a judgment concerning what 
is intended to be conveyed to the mind: but it 
is not possible for these men to say, how chance 
or a non-entity should have been so provident 
as to form that exquisite sensation in the tym- 
panum, which, when the atmosphere is put in 
motion, rolls on that delicate membrane, and 
then by the nerve conducts it to the seat of the 
understanding. Nay, it is not possible for 
them to believe, though they may for the sake 
of singularity profess it, that the phantom 
which they call nature or chance, has either 
part or lot in the cause or effect of what exists 
in the mind, or is manifested to the senses. 

In addition to the remarks 1 have made on 
this subject, I shall furnish the reader with an 
argument which I have always found effectual 
in silencing the subtle objections of the pro- 
fessors of Atheism. Among the few I have 
met with, I never found one who was able to 
prove what he professed, or to open his mouth 
in refutation of the following simple and con 
elusive proposition. 



Theophilanthropists. S 19 



Agreeably to right reason and sound philo- 
sophy, it is acknowledged by all intelligent 
men, that, a non-entity cannot produce 
an entity; or that nothing cannot produce 
something; this being admitted, because it 
would be absurd to deny it, it follows that 
this world is an entity, or something, conse- 
quently could not be produced from a non-entity, 
or from nothing. 



THEOPHILANTHROPISTS, 

From the Greek Beo$, $l\o$, and uvSpaovo^ 
the love of God and man. 

I rank these with the enthusiasts of the day, 
though they were of a more dangerous cast. 
They professed their principles in France, at 
the beginning of the revolution. They were 
properly Deists, had their places of worship, 
as they called them, and for a time attracted 
some notice in Europe. It was an effort to 
make Deism the religion of France instead of 
Christianity, but they have dwindled into ob- 
scurity, and are known only by the common 
term of Deist. 



DEISTS?* 



This word comes from the Latin word Bens, 
God. It is used by Deists to signify their 
belief in one God. So that m this sense 
Christians are Deists also. 

Dr. Samuel Clarke divides the anti-christian 
Deists into four classes, but they are compre- 
hended in two. The first professors believe 
that the works of creation sufficiently prove a 
first cause ; that this cause is not inherent in 
nature, but above and out of nature, and the 
creator of nature. They believe that this first 
cause does not work by providence in the 
affairs of the world, except that, by his Al- 
mighty power, he upholds and supports crea- 
tion* Like the Epicurean sect, they believe 
he is too great to notice the particular con- 
cerns of man, consequently that he is alike 
unmoved either by good or evil. 

The second not only believe in the existence 
of a God, and that he superintends the govern^ 
ment of the world by his providence ; but as 
they do not believe that the scriptures are of 
divine authority, they conclude that all inform- 



Scripture, and Divine Revelation. 321 



ation respecting these things must be drawn 
from the book of nature ; consequently they 
reject all revelation, do not believe in the 
mission of Christ, and that the sacred scrip- 
ture is not the word of God. 1 

According to Dr. Samuel Clarke, the first 
Deistical writer that appeared in this country 
Mas Herbert, baron of Cherbury. By his 
writings, he formed Deism into a system, and 
endeavored to prove that natural religion was 
sufficient to save the soul. The articles of 
their belief are these : That there is one 
God : That he is to be worshipped : 
That piety and virtue constitute 
that worship: That if we repent, 
God will pardon: That there are 
rewards and punishments in the 
future state. 



SCRIPTURE, AND DIVINE REVELATION* 

When we say that the sacred scripture is 



1 See Dr. Valpy's Address to his Parishioners. 3d 
edition, octavo. 



322 Scripture, and Divine Revelation. 



the word of God, we do not mean that it was 
all spoken by him, or that it was written by 
him, or that all that is contained therein is the 
word of God : but a distinction is to be made 
between those precepts which inculcate justice, 
mercy and holiness of life, and the historical 
parts which show the consequence of a life in 
opposition to those principles. The first are 
properly sacred, because they not only lead 
man to happiness even in this life, but give him 
an evidence of things not seen, in the life to 
come ; and thus are called the word of God, 
as these perfections can only have their origin 
from the fountain of all goodness. The last, 
though some are the words of good men — 
w icked men — -the speeches of Satan ; or in 
other words, the personification of an evil 
spirit, and on this account cannot be called the 
word, or words of God ; yet even these parts 
have a similar tendency, as they show the ma- 
lice, pride, and blasphemy of the spirit of 
wickedness ; and on the other hand, the beauty 
of that spirit of divine philanthropy, which 
throughout the whole Bible breathes nothing 
but peace on earth and good will towards 
men. 



Scripture, and Divine Revelation. 323' 



Deists think it inconsistent with the diguity 
of the Divine Being, that he should commis- 
sion certain men to write his laws in a book ; 
but it will appear, when duly considered, that 
there was an absolute necessity for such a pro- 
ceeding. Suppose the precepts of morality 
which were first given by God to man, and 
handed to us by the Hebrew law-giver; sup- 
pose the blessings of religion, which are the 
bands of civil society, had never reached the 
shores of our happy land ; what knowledge 
could we have boasted of more than 

u The untaught Indian whose until tor' d mind * 
Sees God in clouds, and hears him in the wind." 

And, notwithstanding the Bible of nature 
had been before our eyes, not a single precept 
of morality should we have been able to have 
gathered from the pages of this book. What 
was the state of the ancient eastern nations 
1600 years before Christ? rude, barbarous 5 , 
and uncivilised ; until Lyeurgus and Soion 
introduced their code of laws in the West, the 
greatest part of which were taken from the books 
of Moses 5 they then became a refined and sci- 



3£4 Scripture, and Divine Revelation. 



entific nation. From the Greeks, the Romans 
copied their precepts of morality, and from the 
Romans, the ancient people of Europe received 
the greatest part of their moral laws. From 
which it appears evident, that every precept 
of morality was taken from the Bible. 

There is one argument to prove the au- 
thority of the word of God, which cannot be 
overturned by all the Deists in the world. If 
the Bible be not the word of God, it must 
have been written, or invented, either by good 
men, or wicked men ; but if it can be proved 
that it was neither written, nor invented, either 
by good men, or wicked men, it must be the 
word of God. That it was not written, or 
^compiled by wicked men, will appear from its 
own evidence, for if it is to be judged, we 
must suffer that evidence to appear in its de- 
fence. Can any Deist be so weak as to sup- 
pose that wicked men who were in the love 
and practice of evil, would frame laws to 
punish their own vices in this world, and con- 
demn themselves to everlasting punishment by 
declaring, the wicked shall be turned into 
hell? with all the nations that forget God? 



Scripture, and Divine Revelation. 325 



And again, Thou shalt not covet : this reaches 
the thoughts and desires of the heart. These 
restrictions and declarations are opposite to 
those things, which are contained in the religi- 
ous books of theMahometan and Pagan nations, 
which are the production of men, in which 
permission is given to indulge in sensuality. 
This, so far, is a certain proof of the divine 
origin of the Bible. 

As evident it is that good men could not 
be the authors of the Bible. For had it been 
compiled by good men, the same good men 
neither could, nor would have given a lie to 
their profession by calling it the Kord of God, 
as it would only have been the word of men : 
consequently the Bible must be the word of 
God, inspired by him and thus given to man. 

It must be allowed that God created the 
first of men ; this being admitted, as it cannot 
be denied, we cannot doubt but he would give 
him a law, or knowledge to conduct himself 
in life. Now whether the divine author of our 
being condescended to speak it with an audible 
voice, — to write it on the heart, as is said in 
scripture, or whether he commissioned man 



326 Scripture, and Divine Revelation* 



by that spoken law, or from that writing on 
the heart, to write it in a book for the instruc- 
tion of posterity, it amounts to the same ; for 
the law, or word of God, first spoken, or 
written on the heart, and from thence written 
in a book, still remains to be the word of God, 
first given by him. 

The possibility of such inspiration must 
necessarily be allowed, for certainly it was no 
more wonderful for God to inspire man to 
write his will in a book, than it was to inspire 
him, or enable him to receive by continual 
influx, a regular train of ideas. 

The question has long been asked by Deists, 
how shall we know that the Bible is the word 
of God? first, by being convinced from the 
Bible, that the precepts therein contained are 
worthy of God; that the pme spirit which 
runs through the whole, inculcates nothing but 
love to God and charity to all 
mankind, viz. Thou shall love the Lord thy 
God zoith all thy heart. Deut. vi. 5. . Thou 
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Levit. xix. 
18. Matt. vii. 12. Luke x. 27. These are 
the two great commandments which pervade 



Scripture, and Divine Revelation. 327 



every page of the Bible, and which on this 
account is truly called sacred: these are sacred 
duties. For the recorded wickedness of the 
Jews, or of any other nation mentioned in the 
Bible, makes no part of the word of God, any 
farther than it shows that a departure from 
those precepts of true religion recorded therein, 
necessarily draws after it that train of fatal 
consequences, which is the result of that diso- 
bedience to the divine command, when the 
whole sum and substance of true religion con- 
tained in those two great propositions, Thou 
shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
and thy neighbor as thyself; are not mani- 
fested in the life of man. 

Secondly, from the accomplishment of those 
things foretold by the prophets, beginning with 
Moses, and which, to the astonishment of 
every impartial man, have been fulfilling from 
their times to the present day. Now as it 
must be evident, that none but God could open 
to man those scenes of futurity, which have 
been realising for the space of 3300 years, 
and as those precepts of morality contained in 
the Bible could never be gathered from the 



328 Religion of the Ancient Arabians, 



book of nature, as man must have been totally 
ignorant in a savage state ; and as it is clear 
that he could not have been reformed, or civi- 
lised without a knowledge of those precepts, 
they must have been given by the creator : con- 
sequently, as far as demonstration can make 
trutk appear, it is undeniable proof that the 
sacred scripture is the word of God. 



THE RELIGION OF THE ANCIENT ARA- 
BIANS 

Descended from the patriarch Abrahams 
It appears from sacred writ that the Arabians 
descended from I shin a el, the son of Abraham. 
Gen. xxv. 13 to 15. Here the sons of Ishmael, 
Jem a, andKEDAR v are mentioned by the pro- 
phet Isaiah, as being the progenitors of the 
Arabians. Ch. xxi. 13 to 17. The burden of 
Arabia — the inhabitants of Jema — the 
children of Kedar. Arabia, in the original, 
is written in Arab, from the root Arab; it 
signifies priority, and is applied to the evening, 



Religion of the Modem Arabians. 329. 



as being prior to the morning in the historical 
order of the creation. This name was given 
to the descendants of Ishmael, because Ish- 
mael was the elder brother. They observed 
the rite of circumcision as it was instituted by 
Abraham, who performed that rite on Ish- 
mael when he was thirteen years of age. It 
must be allowed that in the beginning they 
worshipped God as taught by this son of 
Abraham, for their rites and ceremonies were 
much the same as were afterwards observed 
by the Israelites. The dress of their priests 
was the same, they came before the altar in 
linen, with mitres and sandals; and swine's flesh 
was forbidden as it was among the Hebrews. 
So that what has been said concerning the dis- 
pensation given to Abraham, is also applica- 
ble to Ishmael and his descendants, so long 
as they continued in the true worship of God, 



THE MODERN ARABIANS. 



The established religion of the modern 
Arabians is 'Mahometanism, and the Zerif or 



sso 



The Jews. 



or Tserif of Mecca is the great patriarch. It 
is derived from the Hebrew word Tserif, to 
Purify. No one can be the Zerif of Mecca 
unless he can prove himself lineally descended 
from Mahomet. He is the sovereign pontiff 
of the Mahometans, and his word, as a spiri- 
tual prince, in every thing relating to religion, 
is obeyed throughout all the Mahometan na- 
tions; such is the implicit faith in this high 
priest, that when any disputed matter is referred 
to him, his decision is received as conclusive ; 
the hierarchy is vested solely in this descendant 
of Mahomet : like the oracles of the Pythian 
goddess, or the fiat of the Roman pontiff, 
there is no appeal beyond the denunciation of 
this eastern patriarch. 



THE JEWS. 

Moses was called to be the lawgiver of the 
Israelites, and to promulgate the unity of the 
Divine Being, in opposition to polytheism, at 
a time, when idolatry, like a mighty flood, had 



The Jews. 



331 



swept the true worship of God from the 
nations of the east, where it had been esta- 
blished by Abraham, the father of Aram, or 
the excellent, for so the word means, that 
country being esteemed an excellent country. 

The Hebrews were captives in Egypt^ 
where they were very severely treated by the 
Egyptians. Accordingly Moses was sent by 
God to bring them out from thence, under his 
divine protection to the land of Canaan. At 
the mount Sinai, God descended in terrible 
majesty, and gave the law in the presence of 
the whole nation, as it is recorded in the 20th 
chapter of Exodus. Moses was also further 
instructed in all things relative to the Jewish 
church, the sacrifices, offerings, and ceremo- 
nies, which he committed to writing in five 
books, and which by way of distinction are 
called the books of Moses. In these books is 
contained the whole sum and substance of the 
religion of the Jews. 

Before the time of Abraham, who was 
called four hundred and twenty-eight years 
after the flood, and five generations before 
Moses, the ancestors of the Jews were called 



332 



The Jews. 



Hebrews, from Eber, the father of Peleg, 
and afterwards Israelites from the time of 
Jacob, who was called Israel. But his de- 
scendants were not known by the name of 
Jews, until the division of the nation, when 
ten out of the twelve tribes established the 
kingdom of Israel, in the year of the Julian 
period 3734, and who were overthrown a a 
nation, and carried into captivity in the year 
3984 of the same period, after having existed 
as a separate people £50 years. Since which 
time they have sunk into oblivion among the 
different nations. The two remaining tribes, 
Judah and Benjamin, took the title of Judah, 
because of the priority of Judah agreeably to 
the custom of primogeniture, and establish- 
ed the kingdom of Judah, on which account 
they have ever since been called Jews. 

The first government given to the Israelites 
was that of a divine theocracy ; Moses was 
the visible head under God. 

From Moses to the end of the reign of 
die judges of Israel, the patriarchal govern- 
ment, so far as it related to the kingly office, 
underwent some change. The only difference 



The Jews. 



was, that in all the former churches, the suc- 
cession was hereditary, but in this, the su- 
preme head of the state was elective. This 
form of government continued 300 years, at 
the expiration of which, a monarchical form 
of government was chosen, which was here- 
ditary. 

This government which began when Samuel 
governed Israel, was also a theocracy, for 
God did not withdraw the divine communica- 
tion from them. This monarchy commenced 
with Saul, and passed to David in the year of 
the Julian period 3654, and ended in the year 
4124 in the reign of Zedekiah, having con- 
tinued 470 years ; when the Jews were taken 
captives, divided into small bodies, and dis- 
persed in different parts of the empire of 
Babylon. Here they remained seventy years, 
as foretold by the prophets, and returned to 
Jerusalem at the command of Cyrus. When 
they returned from the captivity, their worship 
and sacrifices were restored, which continued 
to the end of that church, when the govern- 
ment was overthrown, and the whole nation 
dispersed over the earth. 



SS4 



The Jews. 



We have seen, from what has been said con- 
cerning the patriarchal churches before and 
after the flood, that a difference in opinion 
prevailed among them, which produced separate 
congregations, holding the same opinions, 
which led them to dissent from the established 
worship. So among the idolatrous nations we 
find that they had different idols, which varia- 
tion arose from a difference of opinion ; each 
idol was taken from outward nature, and agree- 
ing by some resemblance with the passions and 
propensities in themselves. Hence arose a 
number of different sects, even among the ido- 
latrous nations. 

In like manner, when the Hebrew church 
was established, in process of time doctrinal 
distinctions were made in abundance, and sects 
began to multiply among them, I shall there- 
fore notice some of the most famous of these 
sectarians, who were of sufficient consequence 
to be thought worthy of remark by the inspired 
writers, as well as by the great historian of the 
Hebrews. 

According to Josephus, the following were 
the most noted sects of professors. 



THE ESS EN ES 



Were a yery strict sect of religious profes- 
sors ; men who practised a more severe kind 
of life, abhorred all manner of pleasure, were 
remarkable for their continence, and accounted 
it the greatest virtue not to give way to unlaw- 
ful desires. They despised riches, and esteemed 
a free and mutual enjoyment of one another's 
goods in common among them, as the purest 
way of living. Towards God they had a 
singular devotion ; no profane word came out 
of their mouth, nor did they speak before the 
rising of the sun, except in prayer. Their word 
was esteemed equal to the oath of others. 
They were strict observers of the sabbath, and 
provided, the day before, necessary provisions. 
They did not even light a fire on the most 
pressing occasion, but the day was spent in 
the most profound stillness. 

They believed that bodies were subject to 
death, but that souls were immortal. That 
those who have loved and practised virtue, 
enjoy eternal happiness ; and that those who 
have lived contrary thereto, abide in hell for 
ever. 



THE PHARISEES 



Were ranked among the most accurate inter- 
preters of the Law, and the first founders of a 
sect among the Jews. They were a very strict 
sect, and so called from the Hebrew wordP hares > 
which means to separate, or divide. They 
were the separatists of the day ; they separated 
themselves from the great body of professors 
by pretending to a more particular observance 
of the law. They appear to have been so 
externally religious that they withdrew them- 
selves from any connection with others as much 
as possible in worldly affairs. They preferred 
the oral traditions to the scriptures, in order to 
be looked up to for the explanation. They 
placed great dependence on washings, washing 
the outside of the cup and platter. They wore 
external badges of sanctity called phylacteries, 
which were pieces of parchment on which were 
written a portion of the law, and these they 
wore in the most conspicuous part of their 
bodies, or garments, as on their foreheads, and 
on the borders of their robes, that they might 
be seen of men. They attributed every thing 



Sadducees. 



337 



to fate, and taught that good or bad actions 
were for the most part inherent in man. They 
believed in a resurrection ; that the souls of 
good men only assume the human form, and 
that those of the wicked are doomed to ever- 
lasting punishment. They also believed in the 
transmigration of souls, which accounts for 
their supposing that John the Baptist, Elias, or 
the prophet Jeremiah, had entered the body of 
Christ. Matt. 16. 14. 



THE SADDUCEES 

Did not believe in fate, and denied that God 
was the immediate cause of any one doing 
either good, or evil ; that good and evil are 
the choice of man, and that man may, just as he 
pleases, do either. They denied the existence 
of souls after death, consequently neither 
rewards nor punishments attend the good, or 
bad. The Pharisees had great regard one for 
another, and maintained, for the advantage of 
their sect, a strict unanimity. r Ihe Sadducees, 
p 



338 



Scribes. 



on the other hand, were more rigid in their 
morals, and conducted themselves with less 
meekness. 



THE SCRIBES 

Constituted a peculiar order among the 
Jews, and were admitted into their colleges. 
They wrote the scriptures to supply the 
temple, and the synagogues, and none were 
permitted to be read, unless they had been 
sanctioned by the authority of the Rabbies, 
appointed to preside at the head of this 
college. 

There were two orders of Scribes, viz. those 
who were employed in their J udicial proceedings, 
and those who wrote and expounded the law. 
The first are called, S 'crib e$ of the people, Matt. 
£. 4, The last, doctors of the law, or those 
who wrote and expounded the Pentateuch. 
These last also had their seperate departments ; 
on their admission to this degree they wrote 
the books of Moses, aod did not expound 
them, because it was supposed with great 



Nazarites. 



539 



propriety, that they had not attained to that 
degree of knowledge and experience, which 
was thought necessary for their admission to 
the highest degree of their order. Ezra was 
one of this description. 

But we find that these men at length depart- 
ed from the purity of their order in its first 
establishment. By the acquisition of wealth 
and power, they became ostentatious, oppres- 
sors, and the greatest hypocrites of the day. 

On these, Christ pronounced a woe, and 
cautioned the people against them. Beware 
of the Scribes, zcho love to go in long chilling, 
and love salutations in the market-places, and 
the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uprcr 
rooms at feasts ; zcho devour widows' houses, 
and for a pretence make long prayers: these 
shall receive greater damnation* 



NAZARITES. 

The Nazaritcs were those who made a vow- 
to live a more pure life than the generality of 
professors. The ceremony of the vow was 



340 



Levites. 



looked on as a most solemn ceremony, as by it 
they engaged themselves to live devotedly to 
God: and the consecration continued about 
eight days. Numb. 6. 

LEVITES. 

The Levites descended from Levi, - and were 
called after the three sons of Levi; from 
Gershon, Gershonites ; from Koath, Koathites; 
and from Merari, Merarites. They were set 
apart to perform all the inferior services of the 
Tabernacle, to fix it and to take it down. 
The Gershonites had the charge of the coverings 
and the hangings ; these were taken down and 
put lip by them, and conveyed from place to 
place. 

The Koathites had the care of all the furni- 
ture belonging to the interior part of the sanc- 
tuary; and they had the care of the whole 
wood-work, while in the wilderness. 

At the time of David they were divided into 
£*4 orders, to fill the offices or inferior places in 
the temple : to these were added four orders^ 



Christ, the true Messiah, 341 



who praised the Lord with instruments ; four 
orders of porters, and six orders of officers and 
judges concerning all things, which had relation 
to the temporal state of religion. To these 
were added the Gibeonites, whose office it was 
to provide, and hew wood, as well as to procure 
water for the house of God. 



CHRIST, THE TRUE MESSIAH, 



It is now near ] 800 years since the disper- 
sion of the Jews took place, agreeably to the 
words of Moses, and during this great length 
of time, they have been expecting their Messiah 
to make his appearance. And, notwithstand- 
ing that the whole of the prophecies which fore- 
told the coming of the true Messiah, have been 
fulfilled in the person of Christ, they contend 
that the Messiah is yet to come, and that he will 
restore them to their own land, with greater 
privileges than their progenitors enjoyed under 
the most prosperous reign of their kings. They 
say, that he will subjugate all nations to them, 



Christ) the true Messiah. 



and that Jerusalem is to be the grand centre 
of government, from whence they are to send 
forth laws to the whole world. Therefore in 
order to show, so as not to admit of a refuta- 
tion, that the Messiah is already come, and that 
the prophecies were accomplished in him, I 
shall lay before the reader a summary of those 
particu3ars,which it was foretold by theprophets ? 
should take place at his coming ; that those 
things were accomplished at the coming of 
Christ : and that all those circumstances and 
things which were to take place at the coming 
of the Messiah, and which took place at the 
coming of chrtst, were of such a nature, 
that they never can take place again. This 
will, without the possibility of a contradiction, 
prove, that he was the true messiah. 

In pursuing this important subject, I shall 
in a great measure confine myself to the objec- 
tions of a modern writer among the Jews, 
viz. David Levi, who in his 6( Dissertations on 
the Prophecies," has collected the most formi- 
dable arguments from the writings of the 
Rabbies and learned Jews, ancient and modern* 
to prove that Christ was not the true Messiah, 



Christy the true Messiah. 343 



In the 24th chapter of Numbers, from the 
15th to the 24th verses, these writers say that 
Balaam delivered four prophecies. " The 
first concerning the noble descent of the 
nation." But how this can be called a prophecy 
1 know not. The second, " concerning 
their righteousness," but it was not possible to 
apply this at any period to the nation of the 
Jercs, for the pages of their own history charge 
them with a character the very reverse to that 
of piety. Moses calls them " a wicked, and a 
stiff-necked generation," and the prophets are 
uniform in representing them as a most rebelli- 
ous people, from the time that they came out 
of Egypt, to their captivity in Babylon. 
Amos 3. 1. to the end of the chapter. And 
the prophet in the 9th chapter foretels that they 
should ever continue in their rebellion against 
God, to the time of their utter dispersion over 
the w hole world, verse 8th. Behold, the ej/cs 
of the Lord God are upon the si? fa/, kingdom, 
and I zcill destroy it from off the face of the 
earth : so much for the righteousness of the 
ancient Jews according to their own pro- 
phets. 

In the 23d chapter, verge 03d, the Jews 



344 Christ, the true Messiah. 



translate the beth which is prefixed to Jacob, 
by the word in, and the same to Israel, and 
read the passage thus, surely there is no 
enchantment in Jacob, neither is there any 
divination in Israel. But in the English 
translation, the beth is rendered by the word 
against, which is, undoubtedly, with this con- 
struction, the true rendering ; viz. Surely there 
is no enchantment (can succeed) against Jacob, 
neither is there any divination (can succeed) 
against Israel. For as Balaam and Balak were 
using enchantments against Jacob and Israel, 
it is absurd to translate the beth by in, and apply 
it to mean that there were no enchantments 
among them. 

In the next prophecy they inform us, that 
" Balaam foretels the coming of the Messiah, 
and the restoration of the Jewish nation to 
their own land ; and as this was not to be 
accomplished till the latter days, he therewith 
consoles Balak by informing him, that he 
would not at present receive any injury from 
this people, for that the thorough subjection of 
Moab by them would not take place till the 
latter days/' From this prophecy of Balaam, 
Levi and all the Jewish writers attempt to 



Christy the true Messiah, 



345 



show, that the subjugation of Moab and 
Edom was not accomplished at the coming of 
Christ, and that as it was to be accomplished 
at the coming of the true Messiah, Christ 
cannot be the true Messiah ; but that it re- 
mains to be fulfilled when the true Messiah 
shall come. As proof that these kingdoms 
were to be subjected to the Jews, at the 
coming of their Messiah, their writers refer 
to Obadiah, verse 17th. arid the house of 
Jacob shall possess their possessions. But 
their Rabbies have altogether mistaken the 
application of these words of the prophet; 
for, from the first to the end of the lGth 
verse, is contained a prophecy against Edom, 
and the loth and lfith verses positively say, 
that the heathen, and not Jacob, were to take 
possession of Edom. For the day of the 
Lord is near upon all the heathen, as thou 
hast done, so shall it be done unto thee, thy 
regard shall be upon thine oun head. For as 
ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so 
shall all the heathen drink continually. The 
prophet, after he has declared that the heathen 
.should take possession of Edom, says, but 



346 Christ, the true Messiah. 



upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and 
there shall be holiness. If this is not a pro- 
phecy concerning Christ, it can neither have 
meaning, nor application, for it certainly can- 
not have respect either to the Jews or to 
their Messiah. Surely the Jews will not be 
hardy enough to declare, that, holiness, which 
is only applicable to God, who alone is holy, 
can in any sense be applied to them, or to any 
people : but it is literally applicable to Christ, 
who was templed in all points like unto us, 
and yet without sin. So that instead of the 
prophet prophesying that the Jews should 
take possession of the land of Edom, at the 
coming of their Messiah, it is a prophecy 
concerning the coming of Christ, in whom 
holiness was only to be perfected. For the 
government of Edom is evidently said by the 
prophet to be in existence at the fulfilment of 
this prophecy, verse l6lh, as thou hast done, 
so shall it be done unto thee, which words 
would have been unnecessary, without meaning 
and application, if the government and people 
of Edom were extinct, when the Messiah 
came. The ancient government and people 



Christ, the true Messiah, 347 



of Edom must therefore have been in exist- 
ence at the fulfilment of this prophecy : but 
where is the government of Edom now r 
where are the people of Edom now r This 
incontestibly proves that it does not refer to 
the Messiah who, the Jews say, is to come, 
because the ancient government and people of 
Edom are no more. Edom is, as it has been 
for 1800 years, in the possession of the 
heathen, bands of strangers, while the Edom- 
ites are sunk in eternal oblivion. But all 
this was accomplished at the coming of 
Christ the true Messiah, when the heathen, 
agreeably to the words of the prophet, took 
possession of Idumea ; when, every one of 
the iiiGtuit of Esau mere cut off by slaughter 
ver. 9- and, all the heathen have drunk con- 
tinual/// upon the holy nioiuitai/t, to the 
present day. 

The next in order are the prophecies of 
Moses. The Jews have selected two, which 
treat on " the restoration of the nation, and 
the destruction of their enemies. " But they 
have introduced one of the most extravagant 



348 Christy the true Messiah. 



notions that ever entered into the mind of 
man. 

We are told of two descriptions of people 
among the Jews ; one, known to be such; the 
other, who are secretly mixed with the people 
of other nations, called, " the compelled ones." 
These, "as soon as they can escape from 
the popish countries, return to Judaism ; 99 
and to these they say, " Moses addresses him- 
self in the 30th ch. of Deuteronomy, verse 1st. 
And it shall come to pass when all these things 
are come upon thee, the blessing and the 
curse, which I have set before thee, and thou 
shalt call them to mind among the nations 
whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee J 9 
But I ask any one who may be weak enough 
to entertam such an opinion, why cannot these 
" compelled ones," as they are pleased to call 
them,in any popish country, return to Judaism? 
they have had the privilege of doing so, and 
of being protected in that worship in all 
popish countries. Therefore as there is no 
ground for such an opinion, to apply the 
words of the inspired penman to confirm such 
a fallacy, is no better than profanation. 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



349 



u Nothing, (they say,) of this nature took 
place at the coming of Jetus — true, but 
Moses does not say that they shall return to 
Judaism. That the Jews will be called, we 
believe, and that they will finally hear the 
prophet, whom God was to raise up from among 
them, we believe also; but Moses has no 
where said that this prophet should be raised 
up to conduct them to Jerusalem, and to 
instruct them in the rites and ceremonies of 
the dispensation, which was given by him, and 
which has been understood by Jews in all 
ages since the dispersion. Had this been the 
meaning of the sacred writer, that they were 
to be called to Jerusalem, and that all the 
ceremonies and sacrifices of the Mosaic dis- 
pensation were to be celebrated as described 
in the books of Moses, there would not 
have been any necessity for those words of 
the Lord to him, ch. 18. 18, 1 9. / Kill 
raise them up a prophet from among their 
brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my 
words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto 
them all that I yhall command him ; because 
those words clearly and iucontrovertibly apply 



850 Christ, the true Messiah. 



to a new dispensation, viz. arid I will put my 
words in Ms mouth, not the old words, or 
law — and he shall speak unto them all that 
I shall command him, not the old law and 
ceremonies given to Moses. Neither would 
there be any necessity for them to hearken to 
the words of a new prophet according to thelQth 
verse, if this prophet had only to communicate 
to them what they were already well acquainted 
with, viz. the rites, ceremonies, and sacrifices, 
even the whole body of old Judaism. On the 
other hand, we ha?e an account of thousands 
of Jews being converted to Christianity at this 
important period ; which is a sufficient proof 
that those ancient Jews were sensible how in- 
effectual the Jewish sacrifices were as to the 
renewing of the heart. The modern Jews are 
also sensible of this, as they say, that " they 
are to be converted, the heart circumcised, and 
brought to the same state of innocency 
as Adam was in before the fall," and all this 
is to be done by " miracles, signs, and wonders 
in the heavens, and in the earth, blood, fire, 
and pillars of smoke" O ye Rabbies, what 
miserable interpreters of the scripture are ye ! 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



351 



If external signs, and wonderful operations 
were calculated to carry rational conviction to 
the' mind, in order to bring about the circumci- 
sion of the heart, it might have been expected 
with the greatest confidence when the law was 
given at Sinai, — when the whole nation saw 

the AWFUL DESCENT OF THE DIVINE 

MAJESTY WHEN THE MOUNTAIN SHOOK 

AT THE APPROACH OF THE HALLOWED 

influence when the people solicited 

Moses that he would speak to them instead of 
God, lest they should die. Also in their 
journey through the wilderness for forty years, 
when ihey saw so many signs, wonders, and 
miracles. But these were soon forgotten, 
from which it must be evident that something 
more interior than what affects the outward 
senses, is required, in order to produce so 
desirable an end as the circumcision of the 
heart. 

But this circumcision of the heart, they 
inform us, " was not accomplished during the 
continuance of the second temple, nor at the 
coming of Jesus,"' from which ihey infer, that 
as it was to be done at the coming of the 



352 



Christy the true Messiah. 



Messiah, he is not yet come. But these 
writers are not consistent; they say, u this 
circumcision of the heart is not to be brought 
about by God's depriving man of his free 
will then as many as believed in Christ 
through the preaching of the Apostles, and 
saw the necessity of a " circumcision of the 
heart"- — instead of an outward circumcision ; 
a circumcision of the heart which taught them, 
that, to obey was better than sacrifice, and to 
hearken, than the fat of rams, and which cir- 
cumcision of the heart could not be brought 
about by the Jewish sacrifices, as is plain from 
the above words, without a belief in the great 
sacrifice, Christ. I say with such, this circum- 
cision of the heart spoken of by Moses was 
accomplished at the coming of Christ. It is 
not said that the hearts of all the Jews should 
be so circumcised, it would be a good thing 
indeed, if not only the hearts of all the Jews, 
but also if the hearts of all who profess Chris- 
tianity were so circumcised. Daniel is of a 
different opinion; for he declares, not only 
concerning Jews, but also other nations, that 
notwithstanding all the sigos and miracles 



Christy the true Messiah. 353 



which have been done, or which may be done, 
the zdckecl shall do wickedly. 

We are told by Levi, and the Rabbies, that, 
all shall knozo the Lord from the least to the 
greatest, which they apply to the Jews; but it 
is evident what the prophet's meaning is in this 
passage. Tn all nations where God is wor- 
shipped agreeably to the scriptures, wicked 
men know God ; the devils know God, the 
devils believe and tremble. But the prophet 
was taking a retrospect of the wickednesses of 
the Jews, when they were so involved in idola- 
try, that the people from the least unto the 
greatest, did not know the true God from 
the idol Gods, because they were not taught 
the knowledge of the God of Heaven, but were 
taught to worship the idol Gods of the nations 
around them, and therefore he says, speaking 
of this time to come, all shall know the Lord 
from the least unto the greatest, even their 
children who were then instructed in the wor- 
ship of idols, were to be made sensible that 
the God who was to be worshipped was not 
an idol, but he who made the heavens. 

That this is the plain meaning of the above 



354 Christ 9 the true Messiah. 



passage, and that it refers to Christ, will ap- 
pear from what follows. The Jews expect 
that when the Messiah comes, the old cove- 
nant, the law, sacrifices, and worship, are to 
be again restored as at the first temple. But 
the prophet expressly denies this in the pre- 
ceding verses, 31,32,33. Behold the days 
come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new 
covenant with the house of Israel, and zoith the 
house of Jiklah : not according to the cove- 
nant that I made with their fathers in the day 
that I took them by the hand, to bring them 
out of the land of Egypt. 'But this shall be 
the covenant that I will make with the house of 
Israel, after those days, saith the Lord. I 
zvill put my law in their inward parts, and 
write it in their hearts. Thus does the pro- 
phet declare that the covenant was not to 
be like that which was established with their 
fathers when they came out of Egypt at Sinai ; 
not the Mosaic covenant, but it was to 
be a new covenant, altogether different 
from the other, which was to be entirely 
abolished. All this was accomplished at the 
coming of Christ, the old covenant was 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



355 



destroyed, and he made a new covenant; 
he taught them that his law was to be of «an 
internal, and not of an external nature, that 
it was to be written on their hearts. 

u Moses (we are told) informs us of three 
most important, and wonderful events which 
are to take place at the coming of the Messiah, 
viz. the resurrection of the dead, the restora- 
tion of the Jews, and the punishment of their 
enemies. The first is expressed by his saying, 
/ kill, and I will make alive ; the second by 
the expression, / have wounded, end I zcill 
heal ; the third, neither is there any that can 
deliver out of my hand" The application of 
these clauses is too absurd for notice. This 
notion that the dead Jew s are to rise again when 
the Messiah comes, must raise a blush among 
the living Jews. The application of the second 
to the restoration of the Jews, is as absurd, 
viz. I have wounded and I will heal; but to 
apply the third, viz. neither is there any that 
can deliver out of my hand, to God's whetting 
his glittering sword, and ripping up the nations, 
who by Levi, and these Rabbinical writers 
are charged with being enemies to the Je ws, 



356 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



is making God a most merciless being, and 
could never have been published by men of 
sane intellect respecting divine things. I 
think it charitable to impute such a conclusion 
to this cause, for if the Jews as a body cor- 
dially believed it, it would prove them mon- 
sters indeed ; and in such case, we may consider 
it as a happy circumstance that they have not 
the power to act in conformity with such 
opinions. But the Jews, as a body, are not 
to be charged with such base intentions, they 
are no doubt the whims of a few r intemperate 
individuals ; with credit to the Christian reli- 
gion, we may adopt the w ords of Levi, " this 
was not accomplished at the coming of Christ." 

Again. These writers declare, that, " all 
the glory will be restored as in the first temple, 
viz. the shechinah, or divine presence, the ark, 
and cherubim, the spirit of prophecy, fire from 
Heaven/' &c. and all the proof they bring 
that this will be done, is from the following 
passage, For thou shalt hearken unto the voice 
of the Lord thy God, to keep his command- 
ments, and his statutes, which are written in 
the hook of this law> because thou wilt turn 



Christy the true Messiah. 



357 



unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, 
arid with all thy soul. But many persons, or 
even a whole nation, turning to the Lord their 
God, and keeping his commandments, is no 
proof that these things will be again restored ; 
if the old covenant, the old law, the 

OLD SACRIFICES, the OLD ORDINANCES, 

and the whole body of old Judaism, fas 
observed) were to be again restored : there 
would be no occasion for another teacher like 
Moses, no necessity for that promise, I mill 
raise them up a prophet from among their 
brethren, like unto thee, and will put my 
words in his mouth, and he shall teach unto 
them all that I command him. From which 
it is evident, that this teaching was to be some- 
thing new, and very different from the old 
law, or the old teaching; for the Jews are 
all well acquainted with the old teaching. This 
is also said to be 2l future command, viz. he shall 
teach unto them all that I shall command him, 
not all that has been commanded in the old 
law : from all which it is as plain as demon- 
stration can make truth appear, that a new 
jiAw, and not the renewal of the old Mosaic 



358 Christ, the trite Messiah. 



law, was to be given, agreeably to these 
words of Moses, a total abolition of all the 
Jewish sacrifices, and ceremonies was to be 
accomplished at the coming of the true 
Messiah, which was fulfilled at the coming of 
Christ, and which is undeniable proof that 
Christ was the true Messiah. 

Levi says, "The third who prophesied of 
the redemption, and future restoration of the 
nation, was Isaiah, which is contained in the 
£nd, 3rd, and 4th verses of the 2nd chapter, 
for as the prophet makes use of the expres- 
sion, in the latter clays, it is clear that he 
thereby meant the days of the Messiah, and 
thus say Kimchi, and Abarbanah" Very well, 
and so say all Christians, for this is no proof 
that Christ was not the true Messiah. On the 
contrary, it must be admitted on all hands to 
be confirming proof that he was the true 
Messiah, for these are allowed to be the 
latter clays according to the prophet. 

These writers condemn all the Christian 
writers who say, that Christ, or the religion of 
Christ, was to convince many nations of their 
vices and errors, that it was to be a religion 



Christ, the true Messiah, 



559 



which had the strongest tendency to promote 
peace, but, " no such universal peace as fore- 
told by the prophets has ever taken place.' 5 
It is reasonable to suppose that Levi, and 
the Rabbies he quotes, had never read the New 
Testament, Chribt says, do unto others as 
ye would iiiei/ should do unto i/ou ; if this pre- 
cept were observed by all nations, there cer- 
tainly would be universal peace, but if man, 
from motives which are opposite to Christianity, 
v. ill do those things to others which he would 
not have others do to him, no wonder there 
are wars and fightings : whence come tears and 
Jightings? says the -Apostle, his answer is con- 
tained in three words, Of your lusts. The reli- 
gion of Christ has convinced many nations of 
their errors, and it must be acknowledged by the 
whole world, that he has founded a religion, 
which when its precepts are observed, has the 
strongest tendency' to promote universal peace. 
Not so under the Mosaic dispensation, for that 
was a system of warfare from the time of their 
coming out of Egypt, to their final dispersion, 
and which must be very strong evidence with 
the Jews, that Christ was the true Messiah. 



360 Christ, the true Messiah, 



But the Jewish writers say, that, i€ as the 
temple was not rebuilt when Christ came, 
which was not to be destroyed any more 
(agreeably to the words of the prophet) Christ 
cannot be the true Messiah." The passage 
they quote to prove this, is the second verse of 
the same chapter. It shall come to pass in the 
latter days, that the mountain of the house ,qf 
the Lord shall be established on the top of the 
mountains, and exalted above the hills. They 
say, " by the word established, it is plain that 
he meant, it was to be fixed unalterably, of 
course it was not to be destroyed any more," 
As the Jews are led to understand this literally, 
I ask them how it is possible for the mountain 
of a house to be established on the top of moun- 
tains^ This is plainly a figurative expression, 
the prophet reminds them of their idolatrous 
w 7 orship, which was established, or performed 
on the tops of mountains, or hills, and he in- 
forms them, that instead of worshipping idols 
on the tops of mountains, as heretofore they 
had done, the worship of the Lord, called 
the house of the Lord, should be greater in its 
numbers and excellency than all the idolatrous 



Christ, the true Messiah. 361 



worship on the mountains, and that it should 
be exalted above the worship of the Gods of 
the hills. 

The word i£WQ Beroesh, when it is applied 
to time, means, in the beginning, when it is 
applied to persons and things, it means, the 
most excellent, and with the prefix 2 beth, 
which means, in, it will read, the mountain of 
the house of the Lord shall be established in the 
most excellent of the mountains. No one can 
doubt but that this is a figurative expression, 
signifying the Christian church which was to be 
promulgated from Jerusalem, and which was to 
be established at the coming of Christ, agree- 
ably to his own word. But to apply this pro- 
phecy to the building of a temple, or place of 
worship on the. top of a mountain, where all 
nations were to fiow unto it, literally, is not 
only contradictory in point of possibility, but 
it shows what a lamentable opinion the Jews 
must have concerning the sanctity, and the true 
understanding of the scriptures. In the original 
the passage is not JT2 i"TOT "in the mountain of 
the Lord's house, but JTVP 1V3 in the moun- 
tain of the house of the Lord, and the masculine 
Q 



362 



Christy the true Messiah. 



pronoun NIPT he, which in the translation is 
rendered by the neuter pronoun it, refers to 
the word TV\TV> Lord, and not to JTQ house. 
The verse truly reads, The mountain of the 
house of the Lord shall be established on the 
top of the mountains, and exalted above the 
hills, and all nations shall flock unto him. 

The Jewish writers assert, that the pro- 
phet addresses the nation, ch. lv. 5. Behold, 
thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, 
viz. a nation not in existence evidently ; and 
nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, 
because of the Lord thy God, and for the 
holy one of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. 
But this is a most profound mistake, for the 
Jewish nation was then known, and the pro- 
phet is addressing God, not the Jewish nation. 
The prophecy is directed to a single person 
under the title of the redeemer, beginning at 
the 49th chap, ver. 7- Thus saith the Lord, 
the redeemer of Israel, and his holy one, to 
him whom man despise th, to him whom the na- 
tion abhorreth. Surely no Jew in his senses 
will again tell us, that this redeemer, this person 
despised by man, and abhorred by the Jewish 



Christy the true Messiah. 



365 



'nation, is to be their Messiah ? Levi, from the 
Rabbies, observes in another place, 6 i that he 
will bring with him such evident marks of his 
Messiahship, that the nation will receive him 
with open arms/' instead of abhorring him, 
But this scripture was literally accomplished 
in Christ, who was despised by man, and 
abhorred by the Jewish nation. 

If we pursue the prophecy, we find in the 
next chapter that the same person is spoken of 
for this cannot be a personification of the Jew- 
ish nation. How can it be said, they gave their 
back to the smiters, and their cheeks to them 
that plucked off the hair? But the prophet 
evidently refers to the Christian redeemer, who 
literally gave his back to the smiters, and his 
cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. 

In the 4th and 5th verses of the following 
chapter, the same divine person speaks by the 
prophet thus : A law shall proceed from me, 
and I zcill make my judgment to rest for a 
light of the people, my righteousness is near, 
my salvation is gone forth, and mine arm 
shall judge the people, the isles shall zcait on 
me, and on mine arm shall they trust. A mo- 



364 



Christy the true Messiah. 



merit's reflection would convince any one that 
these words cannot mean, either the Jews, or 
the Messiah they expect to come. How can 
it be said that the righteousness of the Jews, 
or that the righteousness of the Messiah they 
expect to come, is gone forth ? as to the right- 
eousness of the Jews, we have not seen any 
thing of it in them more than in Christians ; and 
as to the second, viz. the righteousness of their 
Messiah who they say is yet to come, his right- 
eousness has not gone forth. It must appear 
equally as clear that the words, and on mine arm 
shall they trust, cannot mean that we the gen- 
tiles are to trust on the arm of the Jews : we 
are commanded to trust in the arm of God, 
and not in the arm of man. Again, ver. 8. 
My righteousness shall be for ever, and my 
salvation from generation to generation. 
From which it is obvious that the righteousness 
of the Jews is not meant, nor can the right- 
eousness of their visionary Messiah be under- 
stood ; but it refers to Christ whose righteous- 
ness only is for ever, and whose salvation is 
from generation to generation ? Let but the 
Jew look at the fruit of this righteousness of 



Christ, the true Messiah. 365 



Christ, and he will be convinced that it is the 
righteousness spoken of by the prophet, viz. 
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
heart f and thy neighbor as thyself; to which 
is added, do unto others as ye woirfd they 
should do unto you, — sell all thou hast, give 
to the poor, and take up thy cross and follow 
me. 

The same vein of prophecy is pursued by 
the prophet in the following 53rd chapter, 
where the same person, the redeemer^ is men- 
tioned, and continued throughout the whole. 
Here the redeemer is again introduced as ha- 
ving his visage more marred than any man, and 
that he shall sprinkle many nations. But 
can this be said of the Jews ? are their visages 
more marred than the visages of others ? have 
they, or are they likely to sprinkle many nations 
from uncleanness ? which must necessarily be 
the case with them if this prophecy were ap- 
plied to the Jewish nation. But we see that 
their visages are not more marred than any 
man's, and it is truly absurd to suppose that 
they are to sprinkle the nations from unclean- 
ness. • 



366 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



The same order is observed, as the prophecy 
goes on in the next chapter. He is despised 
and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and 
acquainted with grief surely he hath borne 
our griefs and carried our sorrows. In the 
name of common sense, can it be said, that the 
Jewish nation has borne the griefs, and carried 
the sorrows of the gentile nations? that the 
Jews are wounded for our transgressions ? 
that they are bruised for our iniquities ? that 
the chastisement of our peace is upon them ? 
and that with their stripes we are healed ? 

But that which renders it conclusive, that 
the whole prophecy cannot mean the Jewish 
nation, or the Messiah they expect to come, 
is the following clause, ver. 8. Who shall de- 
clare his generation ? for he was cast out of 
the land of the living, for the transgression of 
my people was he stricken, for all know the 
origin, and the generation of the Jews who 
sprang from Abraham. Neither can they 
suppose that the words, he was cut off out of 
the land of the living, can apply to the Jews, 
or to the Messiah who is expected by them; 
because they vainly imagine he is to restore 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



367 



them to universal empire, therefore they can- 
not allow that either the Jewish nation, or this 
Messiah is to be cut off out of the land of the 
living. Again, for the transgression of my 
people was he stricken ; if by the words my 
people, we are to understand the Jezcish na- 
tion, then certainly they cannot be applied to 
mean their Messiah also ; and if on the other 
hand, we were to understand that these words_, 
my people, mean the gentile nations, for whom 
the Jewish nation was stricken, as these writers 
inform us, they must acknowledge that the 

GENTILE NATIONS are the PEOPLE OF GOD, 

which will not be granted by them. For then, 
instead of the nations, " running to the Jezcs to 
be instructed in the true word of God," as we 
are told by Jews that they will, the Jews must 
apply to them for such knowledge. Both these 
statements are against so unscriptural a con- 
clusion, which is a proof to what a pitch 
of folly and blasphemy these writers have 
worked themselves up ; folly, iu supposing 
that a few Jews are to teach all nations the 
true understanding of the word of God ; and 
blasphemy in declaring that the Jewish nation 



S68 Christ, the true Messiah. 



is meant instead of the redeemer, when it is 
obvious throughout the whole prophecy, that 
the person of the redeemer, and not the Jews, 
is mentioned by name. 

These writers inform us, that at the return 
from what they call the captivity, " the ark> 
the shechinah, or visible symbol of the divine 
presence, will be again restored to them, as it 
was in the first temple." But the prophet 
Jeremiah expressly *says in the 1 6th ver. of the 
3rd chap. In those days, saith the Lord, they 
shall say no more, the ark of the covenant of 
the Lord; neither shall it come to mind, neither 
shall they remember it, neither shall they visit 
it, neither shall that be done any more. If 
this be not a plain contradiction to such an 
assertion, then there is no meaning in language. 
The lame tale that is invented by the Jews to 
meet this declaration of the prophet, who says 
that the ark which was destroyed with the first 
temple, is never to be restored, is that as it 
w 7 as customary for them to swear before the 
ark and the altar, they are to be so holy at this 
period, that they shall not have occasion even 
to come before the ark, or to remember it, but 



Christy the true Messiah. 



369 



they shall do strict justice, and always adhere 
to the truth without an oath. Surely every 
rational Jew must see the weakness, folly, and 
presumption of such a perverted application 
of the original text. 

The prophet Haggai says, ch. ii. Who is 
left among you that saw this house in her first 
glory f and how do you see it now ? is it not in 
your eyes, in comparison of it, as nothing f 
Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, I will shake all 
nations, and the desire of all nations shall 
come, and I zoill fill this house with glory, 
saith the Lord of Hosts. The glory of this 
latter house shall be greater than of the former, 
saith the Lord of Hosts. But this certainly 
was not the case, as it related either to the 
building, or to the glorious manifestations at 
the time of the first temple, for at the return 
from Babylon, they had not the Urim and 
Thummim, the Shechinah, or divine glory, as 
at the time of the first temple. Therefore 
these words of the prophet must evidently re- 
fer to a new and spiritual dispensation, which 
was to be manifested during the continuance 
of this second temple, for the words of the 



370 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



prophet are positive, that the glory of this 
latter house should he greater than of the for- 
mer, and as this was not so as to the external 
part, nor as to any thing it contained, it plainly 
refers to a new religion, which did not consist 
in outward ceremonies only, but which reached 
the thoughts and desires of the heart. Such 
is the religion of the true Messiah, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. And in full and decided con- 
firmation of this view, I ask, where is the 
second temple now ? where is this build- 
ing in which a display of the divine goodness 
was to fill it with glory ? in which the divine 
glory was to he greater than the former? It 
is not possible to understand that the words of 
the prophet can apply to any circumstance at 
this time of the world, because the second 
temple in which this superior glory was to ap- 
pear, was laid in ashes by the Roman army 
1800 years since. 

The prophet Micah also says, ch. v. £. But 
thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be 
little among the thousands of Judah, yet out 
of thee shall he come forth unto me, that is to 
he ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have 



Christy the true Messiah. 



371 



been from of old, from everlasting : which 
prophecy was literally fulfilled by the Christian 
redeemer, who came out of Bethlehem. But 

WHAT IS BECOME OF BETHLEHEM NOW ? 

Bethlehem is no more ; nor can any one tell us 
where ancient Bethlehem stood. J! here are 
the thousands of Judah ? How inconsistent 
then it is, for the Jews to contend for the com- 
ing of the Messiah, and how plainly contra- 
dictory to the express declarations of iheir own 
prophets to believe he is yet to come, when 
all these signs of his coming are unequivocally, 
and for ever past : and the whole accom- 
plished agreeably to the express declaration 
of the prophets, in the person of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

But if we add to the above, the accomplish- 
ment of all those tin tigs foretold by Christ, 
concerning die final destruction of Jerusalem, 
the dispersion of the nation, and the abolition 
of their sacrifices, which were to take place 
among that generation ; every argument for a 
Messiah yet to come must fall to the ground. 
For Jerusalem was taken, plundered, and de- 
stroyed by the Romans; the cities of J udah 



372 Christ, the true Messiah. 



were depopulated, the whole nation was dis- 
persed over the earth agreeably to his words, 
and all their sacrifices and burnt-offerings, 
which only constituted the Jewish church ac- 
cording to divine appointment, as representa- 
tives of the coming of the Messiah, have ceased 
for 1800 years. 

In the 59th chap, and the £lst ver. we are 
told by Levi, and the Jewish writers, that the 
prophet proceeds to inform us, that the cove- 
nant which God had made with them, and the 
prophecies delivered by the prophet, should 
never depart from them, so as to become void, 
but should surely be accomplished. — As for 
me, this is my covenant with them, saith the 
Lord; my spirit which is upon thee, and my 
words which I have put into thy mouth ; they 
shall not depart from thy mouth, nor from the 
mouth of thy seed, nor from the mouth of thy 
seed's seed % saith the Lord, from henceforth for 
ever. " Thus we are assured (say these wri- 
ters) that the law of Moses, which is the cove- 
nant God made with the nation, as also the 
prophecies delivered by the mouth of the pro- 
phets, shall never depart from the nation, but 



Christ, the true Messiah. 373 



remain as an everlasting witness of their future 
restoration. " 

Can any thing be so preposterously absurd 
as to suppose that this covenant here mentioned 
by the prophet, by the words, and my words 
which I have put into thy mouthy is the law of 
Moses ? the prophet is told in express words 
what was the covenant, viz. this is my covenant , 
my spirit which is upon thee, and my words, 
which I have put into thy mouth. For it must 
be plain to every Jew that the law of Moses, 
which comprehended the immediate communi- 
cation by the Urim and Thummim, departed 
from them at the Babylonish captivity, and 
never was restored : and what is also evident 
proof that the covenant which is said to be, 
the spirit of the Lord, and the words he had 
put into the mouth of the prophet, was not the 
law of Moses ; the whole ceremonial law of 
Moses, containing the sacrifices, has departed 
from them and their seed's seed for ever, at 
their dispersion. Do the sons of Aaron, the 
priests, as it is said they shall, blow with the trum- 
pets, which was to be an ordinance Olby for 
ever, throughout their generations? Numb. 10. 



374 Christ, the true Messiah. 



8. Do the sods of Levi stand to minister 
before the Lord as it is expressly said they 
should, DW7 for ever ? Is it not infatuation 
in any Jew to suppose, that he can prove his 
descent from the tribe of Levi, which was 
carried away captive before the captivity ill 
Babylon, and has never been heard of since? 

It was commanded as a statute to be obser- 
ved for ever, that if a man killed an ox, a lamb, 
or a goat, he w as to bring it to the door of the 
tabernacle of the congregation, for an offering 
to the Lord, when the priest was to sprinkle 
the blood upon the altar of the Lord; and 
whoever did not do this was to die. Lev. 17. 
7. Is this, which was ordained as a statute 
for ever, now observed among the Jews ? 
Surely it must be clear to every rational Jew, 
that all these statutes and ordinances are passed 
away for ever — consequently, the above words 
of this prophecy cannot refer to the future 
restoration of the jews, as some of the Rabbies 
with Levi say they do, because the law of Moses 
is not here referred io, as the covenant which 
God made with the prophet, but his spirit, 
and his words, which he had put into his mouth, 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



375 



viz. the prophecy given to the prophet, which 
is not the law of Moses. 

If we attend to the true meaning of obilb 
le olam, which is in the translation, and also 
by Levi, translated, for ever, Ave shall find that 
in these passages it has no such meaning, for 
this word is used to signify a hidden, or con- 
cealed, time, both indefinite and finite, past 
and future. Exod. 21.6. tObyb M2yb and he 
shall serve him for ever, viz. until the Jubilee, 
because at the Jubilee he was to be free from 
servitude. 1. Kings S. 13. a settled place for 
thee to abide in for ever; but which 

Temple of Solomon was destroyed 2500 vears 
since. — Eccles. 1. 10. It hath been already 
&Gh3lh of old time. Hence the word tshj) 
olam, when applied to things of time, never 
means that they shall endured/or ever, but to the 
end or final duration of the thing spoken of 
and which here plainly means the Mosaic dis- 
pensation in all its fulness, with the commu- 
nication of the spirit of God by Uriin and 
Thummim. So that we are here given plainly 
to understand that, the words of God by the 
mouth of the prophet, and his spirit which was 



376 Christ, the true Messiah. 



known by the communication by Urim } should 

NOT DEPART BUT WITH THE END OF 

that dispensation. This has been lite- 
rally accomplished, for the Shcchinah, or the 
divine communication, has never been visibly 
manifested since the captivity in Babylon. 

Levi and the Rabbies inform us, that all the 
nations will come, u not in pride and arrogance, 
but in a low, humble, and submissive manner, 
prostrating themselves to them, not on account 
of their great power, but for the sanctity and 
holiness of the divinity that will then be in the 
midst of them, and which (they say) is a de- 
monstrative proof that this prophecy was not 
fulfilled at their return from Babylon."— It 
would be a pleasant thing indeed, not only for 
the Jews, but also for Christians, to see them 
in this state, that people should " prostrate 
themselves before them, because of their holi- 
ness and sanctity." But if some Jewish wri- 
ters have been so weak and infatuated as to 
fancy, that they shall be a kind of demi-gods, 
surely the more intelligent among them must 
be ashamed to carry such a badge of consum- 
mate vanity. This passage has no reference 



Christ, the true Messiah. 577 



to the Jews. In the first verse of this chapter, 
the prophet dec? ares that the dawn of this glo- 
rious state had then taken place in the follow- 
ing words, arise, shine, for thy light is come, and 
the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Now 
if there be any meaning in language, these 
words cannot signify the future restoration of 
the Jews by the coming of their supposed Mes- 
siah, because the light which Levi, and the 
Rabbies suppose to mean their restoration, has 
not risen upon them yet, though it is now near 
3000 years since this prophecy w as delivered 
The obvious meaning of this prophecy is, 
that God by the prophet made known his will 
respecting the Gentile nations, that they should 
be called to a knowledge of the true God. 
Ver. 3. and the Gentiles shall come to thy light. 
The accomplishment of this prophecy is be- 
fore the face of the whole world, for the Gen- 
tile nations, those who were worshippers of 
idols, have received the Scriptures, and have 
come to the knowledge of the true God, 
while the Jews remain a dispersed people 
among all nations : consequently they can lay 
no claim to this light rising upon them to 
enlighten the Gentile nations. 



378 Christy the true Messiah. 



Levi and the Rabbies have attempted, and 
a miserable attempt it is, to define the whole 
of this chapter agreeably to their sensual pas- 
sions and appetites. Thus they say, a the 
dromedaries of Midian and Ephah, shall bring 
gold and frankincense, the flocks of Kedar, 
and the rams of Nabaioth shall be brought to 
them, the sons of the strangers are to build up 
their walls" — while the Jews are to be idle 
gentlemen, and lookers on, blessing themselves 
that they are not sweating beneath a scorching 
sun. Alas, ye Rabbles, what miserable inter- 
preters are ye! but they have not attended to 
this circumstance, viz. that if one part of the 
prophecy is to be understood agreeably to the 
letter, every other part of the same prophecy 
must be understood literally also, which can- 
not be the case in this prophecy, for the 19th 
ver. says, The sun shall he no more thy light by 
day: neither for brightness shall the moon give 
light unto thee. Now if by the dromedaries of 
Midian and Ephah, the flocks of Kedar, and 
the rams of 'Nabaioth, and the sons of the 
strangers, who are to build up their walls, we 
are to understand that these things are to be 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



379 



literally understood : then by the same rule, we 
must necessarily understand, that the same 
literal sense is to be understood in every other 
part of the same prophecy. And then in such 
case, tha sun must no more give light to them 
by day, nor the moon by night, for it is absurd 
to tell us that this metaphorical passage refers 
to the prosperity of the Jews, when every other 
part of the prophecy is by them literally un- 
derstood. Again, ver. 20. it certainly does 
not refer to the Jews, for a very few years after 
the delivery of this prophecy, their sun, which 
they understand to mean their national privi- 
leges, went down, when they were carried 
captive, and made to bow the knee to the idols 
of Babylon. Neither did their sun ever rise 
again, for at the return from the captivity, they 
were governed by strangers, the Herodians 
and Asmoueans. The glory of the first temple, 
theUrim and Thummim, the Shechinah and 
visible communication never returned, and 
finally they were dispersed over the face of 
the earth. How then can these writers have 
confidence to tell the world, that the words, 
thy sun shall ho more go dozen, have reference 



380 Christ, the true Messiah 



to the endless government of the Jewish na- 
tion ? 

But should they continue to say that this 
has reference to the future happiness of the 
Jewish nation, this view of the prophecy is 
altogether inconsistent with the express words 
of the prophet, as above, for the fact proves 
that this prophecy refers to the coming of 
Christ the true Messiah, to lhat light which 
was to enlighten every man : the Gentiles have 
come to his light , and kings to the brightness of 
his rising. From which it must appear that 
this prophecy has no reference to the future 
temporal state of the Jews, but to the calling 
of the Gentile nations to the knowledge of the 
true God. 

But u Strangers (they say) are to stand up 
and feed their flocks , the sons of the alien are 
to be their vine-dressers" while they are to be 
called the priests of the Lord — that they " are 
not to be engaged in such servile services, but 
in the mediation of the law of God, and in his 
service as priests, and being thus at leisure, 
they are to eat the riches of the Gentiles." 
Surely this is too absurd for remark, the 



Christ, the true Messiah. 381 



thinking and rational Jew must be ashamed of 
it. If these infatuated writers had recollected 
that in Great Britain, which is twice as large 
as the land of Canaan, there are but a few 
thousands of priests, and it is found they are 
too numerous, though the flock is five times as 
large as the whole population of the Jews in 
all the world, what then is to become of a 
whole nation, of millions of priests, who are 
to have nothing to do but to play at religion, 
and priest preach to priest ? If on the other 
hand, they suppose that the country is to be 
stocked with laborious foreigners, and that 
every priest is to have a congregation, what 
must be the extent of country capable of hold- 
ing a population to employ such a numerous 
conclave? the whole earth would not be large 
enough. For if to each priest were allotted 
500 persons, as a congregation, and the num- 
ber of priests were estimated at two millions 
only, then these would be sufficient for one 
thousand millions of people, being far more 
than the population of the whole world. Alas 
ye Rabbies, how have ye for ages mistaken the 
obvious meaning of the Sacred Scriptures! 



382 Christ, the true Messiah. 



how long will ye continue to blow up the 
ignorant among you with vanity ? with the vain 
hope of being the lords of the creation, trees 
of the Lord's planting, while your views go 
no farther than the gratification of the sensual 
appetite, to have the riches of the gentiles, the 
_ gold and frankincense of Midian and Ephah, 
the flocks of Kedar, and the rams ofNabaioth, 
—to be clothed in purple and fine linen, and 
to fare sumptuously every day : while all the 
world, as you say, are to come " bending and 
bowingthemselvesdownatthesolesof your feet.'" 
Levi thus concludes this dissertation by 
saying—" from the explanation here given of 
this prophecy, the following principles are obvi- 
ous 1st, God will take vengeance on the different 
nations ; 2nd, all the tribes of the nation will 
be gathered together ; 3rd, the different nations 
of the earth will be subject to Israel — now as 
none of these important events took place at 
their return from Babylon ; as is clear from all 
history both sacred and profane ; and as it is 
clear that they were not accomplished at the 
time, nor in the person of Jesus, it is manifest 
that he could not be the Messiah, and that 



Christ, the true Messiah. 



SS5 



these great and glorious promises remain yet to 
be fulfilled in the latter times, when the true 
Messiah will come to redeem the nation" — 
This writer has very judiciously said, " from 
the explanation here given of this prophecy, 
the following principles are obvious "—But as 
it is proved above agreeably to the original, the 
obvious meaning of the words of the prophet, 
that no such events were to take place at the 
return from the Babylonish captivity, and as the 
fact is proved in profane history, even in the 
histories of all nations, that when Christ came, 
the gentile nations were called from idolatry to 
the worship of the true God, that even Asia, 
Africa, and Europe, received the gospel ; 
agreeably to the express words of the prophet 
in the third verse, viz. And the gentiles shall 
come to thy light, and kings to the brightness 
of thy rising, it is incontrovertible evidence 
that this prophecy was accomplished in the 
person of the true Messiah, the redeemer of 
man, the Lord Je^us Christ, and that the Jews 
have no foundation whereon to rest their hopes, 
that the Messiah is yet to come. 

Having shown agreeably to the express decla- 



384 



The Targums. 



rations of the prophets, in conformity with the 
circumstances and things which were to 
precede the coming of the Messiah, the 
accomplishment of which having taken place is 
confirming proof that he is come ; I shall now 
refer the learned Jews to their Targums, in 
order to show that these eminent commentators 
applied different texts of scripture to the 
Messiah, as the Christians do. 



THE TARGUMS 

Are commentaries made from the Hebrew 
text into the Ghaldee language, and are on that 
account called Chaldee paraphrases. 

There are two which are received by the 
Jews, with almost equal veneration with the 
text, viz. the Targum of Onkelos on the law, 
and that of Jonathan on the Prophets. The 
Targum of Onkelos on the law, and the 
Targum of Jonathan on the Prophets are 
received by the Jews as more ancient than the 
time of Christ, and this also in the opinion of 



The Targums. 



385 



all Christian writers. They are written in the 
Jerusalem Chaldee dialect, which was the 
national language of the Jewish nation at the 
time of Christ. In these Targums we find 
that the passages in the old Testament are 
interpreted in the same manner as Christians 
interpret them respecting the Messiah, which 
is additional proof that the Messiah is come. 

Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart 
from Judah, nor a laic-giver from between his 
feet, until Shiloh come. This has been under- 
stood by Christians lit all ages to mean the 
Messiah, and therefore as the Jewish state 
and government has passed away, as the 
scepter and law-giver have departed 1800 
years since ; the true Messiah, according to the 
obvious meaning of this prophecy, must long- 
ago have come, even prior to the dispersion of 
that people. For this long period, there has 
not been any regal power in Judah, no king, no 
prince, no governor, ruling over them with the 
emblem of power, the scepter ; no lawgiver, 
no judicial authority has been known among 
them since the coming of Christ. They have 
for these eighteen hundred years been governed 
B 



386 



The Targums. 



where they have been driven, by foreign 
monarchs, even to the most remote corners of 
the earth. 

Some of the more modern Rabbies, having 
been sensible of the force of this in aid of the 
Christian cause, have attempted to show that 
the word £D2ttf Shebet, which is rendered to 
mean a scepter, the emblem of authority, may 
also be translated to mean a rod, to signify 
punishment, and thus that their present punish- 
ment, among the different nations, shall not 
depart from them until the true Messiah comes 
to take them to their own land : where they are 
to enjoy uninterrupted rule over all nations. 
But this does not agree with Onkelos, for his 
translation runs thus " There shall not be 
taken away from' Judah one having the prin- 
cipality , nor the scribe from the sons of his 
children, till the Messiah shall come' 9 This 
is plain proof that in his time the word tOIlttf 
Shebet, was understood to mean, the principal- 
ity or government, should not depart from 
the Jewish nation until Messiah came. And 
this is also in perfect agreement with the Jeru- 
salem Targum, and with Jonathan's, for they 



The Targions. 



SS7 



translated the word Shebet, to mean the prin- 
cipality, and the word H^ttf Shiloh, the Messiah; 
from which it must be evident that the testi- 
monies of these ancient authorities most effect- 
ually refute the arguments of the modern Jews, 
as to the coming of the Messiah. 

Numbers 24. 17. There shall come a 
star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise put 
of Israel. Onkelos, as well as Christians, 
interprets this to mean the Messiah. The 
Targurn of Jonathan gives the same applica- 
tion. Maimonides also says that u this was 
not to be a kingdom for the Jews only, but 
that it was to be an universal kingdom for all 
men/' See Melakin. cap. 1 1. sec. ]. 

Micah 5. 2. But thou, Bethlehem Ephra- 
tah, though thou be little among the thousands of 
Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto 
me, that is to be ruler in Israel. — Many of the 
Jewish writers having seen how this was accom- 
plished in the person of Christ, that he came 
out of Bethlehem, knowing also that it was 
anciently understood that the Messiah was to 
be born in that place, which is now no more 
(of which above) have labored to give this 



.388 



The Tar gums. 



passage a different application. Some have 
applied it to Hezekiah, some to Zerubbabel 
who led them from the captivity in Babylon. 
But the Targum of Jonathan asserts it to 
mean the Messiah as Christians do. The trans- 
lation is, " out of thee shall come forth before 
me the Messiah, zvho shall exercise sovereign 
rule over Israel." 

Psalm 2. 2. The kings of the earth set 
themselves, and the rulers take counsel together 
against the Lord, and against his anointed. 
All Christians have understood this to refer to 
the Messiah : and that it was accomplished in 
Christ. In the same manner the Apostles 
understood that it meant the Messiah. Acts 
4. 25, 26, 21. ch. IS, 33. Heb. 1. But since 
the time of the Apostles, the Jews have endea- 
voured to overturn this view by asserting, 
contrary to the ancient Jews before and at 
the time of Christ, that it applied to David ; 
however, the Targum interprets this Psalm^ 
verse 2nd, to mean the Messiah. 

Great stress is laid by Jewish writers of 
modern date concerning the words my 
people; ySP, thy people: his people, 



The Targums. 



389 



which they presumptuously apply to them- 
selves, and thus they have vainly supposed that 
they are the people of God; some Christian 
writers have been weak enough to fall into this 
error. But if we attend to the history, we 
shall find that the Jews cannot lay any claim to 
the high-sounding title of, people of God. 
For though they had the most astonishing dis- 
play of the divine goodness in their favor when 
raey were brought out of Egypt, and had seen 
those things, which, had they been done to the 
idolatrous nations, they would have worship- 
ped no other God than the God of Heaven ; 
yet in six weeks they solemnly bowed them- 
selves before the golden calf, saying, these are 
thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of 
Egypt. If we pursue them through the his- 
tory, we find immediately after the death of 
Joshua that they forsook the worship of God, 
and served the idols Baalim, Baa/, and Ashte- 
roth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of 
Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods 
of the children of Amnion, and the gods of 
the Philistines. In the time of their kings, 



390 The Targums. 



the sacred historian has given an impartial ac- 
count of their idolatries, and notwithstanding 
the prophets were sent to reclaim them, and the 
pious example of many who feared God 
among them, the great majority of the nation 
frequently abolished the worship of God, and 
established idolatrous worship. 

Jeremiah complains of their ingratitude to 
God, and transmitted to posterity a list of this 
shameful abomination. Ch. 11.6, 7,8, 10, 13. 
Then the Lord said unto me, proclaim all these 
words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets 
of Jerusalem, saying, hear ye the words of 
this covenant, and do them. For I earnestly 
protested unto your fathers in the day that I 
brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even 
unto this day, saying, obey my voice. Yet 
they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but 
walked every one in the imagination of their 
evil heart. They are turned back to the ini- 
quities of their forefathers. For according to 
the number of thy cities were thy Gods, O 
Judah : and according to the number of the 
streets of Jerusalem, have ye set up altars to 



The Targums. 



391 



that shameful thing, even altars to burn in- 
cense unto Baal. Surely if any Jew seriously 
considers the transactions of his progenitors 
as a nation, he will not conclude that they were 
the only people of God. There was always a 
distinction made between those Jews who 
were the people of God, and those w ho were 
not. A covenant was made, which was of 
course conditional, and whoever fulfilled the 
conditions of that covenant, were called the 
people of God, and those who did not were 
cursed. Jer. 11. 2, 3, 4. Hear ye the wards 
of this covenant , and speak unto the men of 
Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 
And say thou unto them, i/nis saith the Lord 
God of Israel, cursed be the man that obey- 
eth not the words of this covenant. Which I 
commanded your fathers in the day that I 
brought them forth out of the land oj Egypt, 
from the iron furnace, saijing, obey my voice, 
and do them, according to all which I com* 
mand you ; so shall ye be my people, and 
I will be your God. 

In order to show that they were never, as a 



The Targums. 



nation, considered as the only people of God, 
any more than other nations who worshipped 
God, were the people of God ; we will turn 
to Hosea 2. 23. and I will have mercy 
upon her that had not obtained mercy, and I 
will say to them which were not my people, thou 
art my people : and they shall say, thou art my 
God. If the Jews apply these words to them- 
selves as a nation, then they must allow that 
there was a time when they were not the peo- 
ple of God, viz. and I will say unto them 
which were not my people? thou art my 
people. If on the other hand they be not 
willing to grant this, they are under the ne- 
cessity of allowing, that nations who were not 
the people of God, were to be the people of 
God, viz. and I will say unto them which 
were not my people, thou art my people, and 
they shall say, thou art my God. Now as 
this was not accomplished during the time of 
the kings of Israel, they having not converted 
the idolatrous nations to the worship of God ; 
nor after the return from the Babylonish cap- 
tivity ; and as the nations of Asia and Africa 



The Targums. 



395 



were converted to the Christian faith, and 
since that period the nations of Europe who 
were idolators have also received the gospel, 
and have thus become the people of God; the 
words of the prophet are now accomplished. 
Therefore as all these things foretold by the 
prophet were accomplished at the coming of 
Christ, it must be admitted as indubitable 
proof, that he to whom all the prophets gave 
testimony, was the true Messiah who was 
to come: the serpent-bruiser of Moses, 
the Shiloh of Jacob, the root of Jesse, 
the Lord of David, the immanuel of 
Isaiah, and the Saviour of men. 

Now, if in contradiction to all this mighty 
mass of evidence, the Jews can ever contend 
that the Messiah is yet to come, they must 
be left to the enjoyment of their visionary no- 
tions. All those circumstances and things 
w hich were to take place at the coming of the 
true Messiah, have been literally accomplished, 
without the possibility of ever returning to 
afford a pretence for a Messiah to come ; they 
fcave been carried on the wings of time, to the 



334 The Targums. 



house of eternity, where they are registered as 
awful proofs, that the Hebrews, ever since the 
time of Christ, have rejected the incontroverti- 
ble evidence of their own prophets, that THE 
MESSIAH IS COME. 



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